What you will have after doing all of this is something closer to what a town centre might look like. Another benefit of the town-centre approach is that it can often easily fit into existing areas without changing zoning laws too much. Main-Street Approach Think of a main street in a small town, or a streetscape in a large Canadian city. Many Canadian cities already have such people-friendly streets with wide sidewalks, trees and many attractions within a short stretch of road. There are food stores, drugstores, restaurants, walk-in health clinics and other businesses.
Housing is both above shops on the main street and on side streets.
Urban planners think one way to reduce our dependency on cars is to create more of these main streets. In this model, people who live close to a main street don't have to take their cars to the corner store, the dry cleaner or the neighbourhood restaurant. Because of the large numbers of people living and working within the neighbourhood, public transit will always be available when needed. The main-street approach can work for new suburban areas, as well as a retrofit for an existing area. It meets people s needs, is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice and supports a vibrant economy.