After a final round of public input and a volunteer-assisted, three-year planning process, the city of Nelson is preparing to go to tender with the Stores to Shores downtown revitalization project — but not before residents and business owners have a final look at amended design plans.
On Monday night (January 26) the city is holding an update session on the project, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Adventure Hotel.
“Since rolling the preliminary plan out last year, we’ve had a lot of terrific feedback on the Stores to Shores project, and some great suggestions,” said Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak. “We’ve listened. And we’ve addressed that additional input.”
The updated design plans include new parking and traffic flow options impacting the intersection of Hall Street and Vernon.
Phase one of the Stores to Shores project will run from IODE Park to Lake Street. Work is slated to begin in Spring 2015 and estimated to end in Winter 2015.
City Manager Kevin Cormack added that the benefits of the revitalization are two-fold. Roughly two-thirds of the work to be undertaken on Hall Street is already required as part of Nelson’s on-going commitment to providing reliable water, sewer and electrical infrastructure, as well as the upkeep of safe roads, sidewalks and stairways.
“And this is work that would soon be on the books,” said Cormack. “It’s work that we need to do — on one of the oldest streets in the city’s downtown. Plus, this project addresses many of issues Nelson residents identified as priorities in our Sustainable Waterfront and Downtown Master Plan.”
The following is a list of the improvements that will be in place after phase one is completed:
• Timely upgrades to the city’s underground utilities
• Better pedestrian and vehicular safety at the Vernon/Hall Street interchange
• Improved access to the Nelson and District Community Complex
• Reconfigured and enhanced parking
• A new public plaza area adjacent to IODE Park
• A host of public amenities including new sidewalks and street lighting, sidewalk furniture, opportunities for public art, bike parking, and pre-servicing the site for a future public washroom.
This past fall, in anticipation of the Stores to Shores project start up, city crews prepared the intersection of Cedar and Front Street for the addition of opposing left-turn bays, slated to go in this spring. Cedar Street will then be re-signed, along with an overhaul of the five-way Cedar/Vernon/High Street intersection.
There are a number of ways for the public to access more information on the Stores To Shores project.
Visit facebook.com/storestoshores or nelson.ca/storestoshores or email pmierau@nelson.ca or call 250-352-8217 and ask for Pam Mierau.