City applies for grant of up to $250,000 to support design work for reconstruction of Victoria Avenue, public spaces after Victoriaville demolition.
THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay is eyeing federal funding to help cover costs to reconstruct Victoria Avenue following the planned demolition of the Victoriaville Centre in 2022.
City administration proposes to seek funding through the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative (CHCI), which offers grants of between $5,000 and $250,000 for small-scale infrastructure projects that “adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19.”
City council will vote on whether to approve the application on Monday.
A memo from Karen Lewis, general manager of development and emergency services, said the CHCI funding could be used to support design work and pilot projects associated with the project.
Projects eligible for funding include those that “create and adapt public spaces, and programming and services for public spaces in the public interest.”
Council voted unanimously to demolish Victoriaville last year, with plans to redevelop Victoria Avenue with street trees, benches, and other features, add a public plaza on the Syndicate Avenue right-of-way south of Victoria Avenue, and revamp the existing public square north of Victoria Avenue.
Potential designs for the reconstructed street and for those public spaces could be tested through pilot projects.
The city hopes the planned changes will attract more residents to the area for concerts and other events like vendors’ markets.
Applications for round two of the CHCI funding are due by June 25. The city applied for $250,000 in funding for a planned revitalization of Dease Park under round one (applicants can submit only one project per round).
Projects must be completed by June 2022, which guided administration’s recommendation to apply the funding to design work and pilot projects that will take place during that time frame.
Demolition of the Victoriaville Centre isn’t expected to begin until 2022. The process will consist of an “almost piece by piece” deconstruction, city staff have said.
Redevelopment of the site is anticipated between 2022 and 2024. The project will come back before city council as plans are honed and tenders developed.
source tbnewswatch