2023 Freetown DAT Report - Flipbook - Page 32
Freetown DAT
Downtown
The adjacent government wharf and downtown concept
drawing shows some of the potential approaches of
using the cable car station and the ferry landing as
downtown and Freetown’s most defined anchor. Critical
to this anchor is improving the wharf and waterfront
area to focus on the water, which will dramatically
increase the use of the area by local residents and
visitors alike. This is probably the most underutilized
placemaking and economic development opportunity
in all of Freetown, and redevelopment would be
transformative even in advance of the construction of
the cable car system. The waterfront and downtown
in general have some amazing opportunities, but they
currently lack the cohesiveness needed to fulfil their
potential.
• Incorporating the already planned museum
adjacent to the former FCC city hall into the
waterfront redevelopment.
• Providing new vistas of the beach, with plastic
debris removed, west of the former FCC city hall.
This can leverage the opportunity for a restaurant
and hotel to capitalize on that vista.
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• Improving the gateway road from the waterfront to
Big Market, providing improved opportunities for
indoor Big Market vendors and for outdoor vendors,
providing an easier and more attractive travel path
to both.
These investments and actions can in turn provide the
catalyst for a much greater downtown investments and
new economic and jobs activities.
The Wharf concept and Old Wharf Steps drawings show:
• The proposed Government Wharf Cable Car station
(aligned towards Annie Walsh School), with the
future second cable car station aligned to the west
for an Aberdeen route.
• Opening up access to the water by removing fences
and obsolete non-historic small structures.
• Extending a fixed pier or floating docks into the
water for public use.
• Moving port uses to a new location so the
waterfront is dedicated to ferries and public access.
• Opening up the vistas from and of the Old Wharf
Steps.
• Exploring the potential for two boutique hotels
in the existing former Freetown City Council city
hall and other underutilized buildings on along the
waterfront/Government Wharf Ferry area. These
low buildings would provide excellent views of the
waterfront.
The Old Wharf Steps are a defining feature of Freetown. The view of the steps from the Government Wharf (and future cable car station) and the view from downtown
towards a cleaned up waterfront.
