A vacant lot that links Collingwood’s downtown to the Collingwood Farmers’ Market will be paved and ready for public use by Canada Day, according to recent estimates by town staff and the Downtown Collingwood Business Improvement Area (BIA).
During the June 19 council meeting, councillors received an update from the BIA on their interim plans for 84 Hurontario St. which include a temporary stage, lighting, benches, planters and bike racks, and is expected to cost $50,000 which will come from the BIA’s budget.
“Thank you so much for taking the initiative to do something with this piece of land,” said Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. “It might sit there for a while still.”
“If we can get it open in time for Canada Day, that’s a win for everyone,” she said.
The town purchased the vacant land at 84 Hurontario Street on Oct. 28, 2022 after some negotiations. The Collingwood BIA approached the town with the suggestion the town purchase the property.
The BIA took the torch on an interim activation for the property. Long-term plans for 84 Hurontario will be determined through a new downtown planning exercise, which will be happening in tandem with the community-based strategic plan refresh and is expected to be completed in 2024.
During Monday’s meeting, BIA board chair Sarah Pennal noted the BIA board is very supportive of the property becoming a future town square.
“If that is council’s ultimate decision, we recognize a more appropriate long-term design plan would be required,” she said.
In the meantime, work that is expected to be completed over the next two weeks includes the town’s public works department clearing debris and locating/capping underground infrastructure on the site.
The BIA will be working to remove and fill broken rubble at the front of the property, add asphalt on the concrete pad, remove trip hazards and install an entrance path from Hurontario Street. A temporary fence will be installed at the southern boundary, and benches, planters and bike racks will be pulled from the BIA’s existing inventory to be installed on the site. Outdoor lighting will be hung across the paved pad area and a temporary stage will be constructed.
Pennal said the space will be intended to be used for holiday events such as Canada Day and the Christmas Market, but also for town events, pop-up events and as a public space that connects the downtown to the farmer’s market on Pine St.
The entire interim project is expected to cost about $50,000, and will be paid out of the BIA’s budget.
“There are additional reserve funds available if necessary, however the board does not want to invest too much in the property until the Downtown Master Plan is complete,” said Pennal.
Coun. Kathy Jeffery and Coun. Chris Potts asked about the decision to put in asphalt.
“I’m not a big fan, environmentally, of (it),” said Jeffery.
BIA general manager Sue Nicholson told councillors that asphalt would cover the entire property aside from the entrance from Hurontario.
“It will get rid of all the trip hazards. It’s the most cost-effective and easiest way to limit liability,” she said.
CAO Sonya Skinner noted much of the property is already covered by hard surfaces. Nicholson also noted that repairing the concrete would take the project into the fall for a completion date due to a lack of available contractors.
“Hopefully, with asphalt, we can have this ready by Canada Day,” she said.
Coun. Christopher Baines, Coun. Steve Perry and Coun. Brandon Houston all said they were OK with adding the asphalt as a temporary measure.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Perry.
“Asphalt is not the ideal solution but I think, until we have a longer-term plan, it solves a lot of our challenges such as liability... and the ability for the BIA to activate it,” said Houston.
At their Monday meeting, council voted unanimously in favour of approving the interim activation plan for 84 Hurontario St. The choice to use asphalt as a temporary solution only was added as an amendment to the motion, and was also passed unanimously.
Coun. Deb Doherty was absent from the meeting.
