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After 40 years, a makeover for Main Street — open house today

Community members are invited to Tuesday's open house at North Bay City Hall, from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., regarding the planned reconstruction of several blocks of downtown streets
BayToday Staff

The City of North Bay is hosting a public open house regarding the planned reconstruction of a section of Main Street at North Bay City Hall on Tuesday, July 26, from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.

The last major renovations to Main Street were completed nearly 40 years ago. The project will include the reconstruction of all surface infrastructure including curb and gutter, asphalt road paving, concrete sidewalk, decorative concrete sidewalk, and various other ancillary works.

The project involves the reconstruction of Main Street between Cassells and Sherbrooke streets, as well as a section of Ferguson Street between Main and Oak streets, as outlined in the North Bay Downtown Waterfront Master Plan (DWMP). Construction is anticipated to start in the spring of 2023 with completion tentatively planned for the fall of 2024.

See related: Report: Main Street 'beyond rehabilitation'

The open house presents an opportunity for community members to receive an update on the project, review drawings and schedules, and ask questions of City staff. After the open house, the renderings and drawings displayed will be available for review here: https://www.northbay.ca/projects/main-street-revitalization/.

Originally planned to move forward this year, tendering of the project was postponed by North Bay City Council following consultation with downtown businesses due to concern about the potential impact of construction at the beginning of their post-COVID-19 recovery.

See: Main Street rejuvenation will take short vacation before excavation

At the time of this request for a delay in March, the Downtown Board said it remains supportive of the project it feels will "not only help our community see the Downtown as the place to be but also help businesses and aid with the development and future investment in the heart of our city."

The nearly $6.2-million Main Street Rejuvenation project has lines in both the 2021 and 2022 capital budgets and includes $3 million in Ontario Community Infrastructure Funding (OCIF). If the project is delayed, the OCIF money would go into the City's reserves and later be applied according to the extended timeline.