Oakville Revitalization
Downtown Refresh

NRU
April 25, 2018
Rob Jowett

To help make its downtown more vibrant and attractive, on April 10 Oakville council approved the final design for the reconstruction of Lakeshore Road East. The core of the town’s downtown revitalization program, the road will be reconstructed and the landscaping installed over the next two years at a cost of about $9-milllion. 

With changes in the retail landscape, especially the attraction of online shopping, the vacancy rate downtown has risen rapidly to about 12 per cent since 2010, Oakville mayor Rob Burton told NRU. Council wants to breathe new life into the area and bring in more people and businesses. 

“The main goal is to undertake the necessary reconstruction of the roadwork and the related infrastructure. The streetscape will provide a refresh for the downtown area,” Oakville economic development director Dorothy St. George told NRU. “Any place that undertakes this kind of a rehabilitation, it becomes a very attractive location. It just becomes a more efficient place… and a more attractive location for people to come shop and dine.” 

Wider sidewalks, more parking, and bike lanes are all part of the redesigned streetscape. There will be new light stands and street furniture. New trees will be planted, serviced by underground infrastructure such as water and air pipes. 

“As well, we’ll have infrastructure to support people in the form of free wireless and traffic counters, and electric vehicle charging stations,” says Burton. “So that we have a smart downtown too.” 

Public consultation began in 2013 to get residents’ input on every part of the streetscape design. Burton explained that it was an iterative process and residents made most of the decisions about what the final design would be, right down to specific materials and furniture. 

“Oakville prides itself on what I’ll call consultation on steroids,” says Burton. “We invited the public to dream big for the next 150 years of their downtown, and to put forward…all the possible things that people thought [would improve] our downtown .” 

Following consultation with downtown businesses, the town decided to stagger construction. Phase one— between Navy and Dunn streets—is scheduled 2019, and phase two—Dunn Street to Allen Street—will be completed in 2020. 

“No businesses will be shut off from customers for more than a day,” says Burton. 

After the reconstruction and streetscape is completed, the town intends to turn some of its one-way streets into two-way streets and to create an innovation hub, says Burton. Also, a study is being undertaken by KPMB Architects and Savira Cultural and Capital Projects to consider a Downtown Cultural Hub with a performing arts centre, library, and art gallery. 

“By 2026 we will have the best downtown in the entire country,” Burton said. “…a way more attractive place for the entire town.”