Ontario Construction News staff writer
After reviewing input from the business community, the City of North Bay has reversed direction on a construction project to reconstruct Main Street. At the request of its downtown improvement area (DIA), the project will begin at Sherbrooke Street and will proceed westward, rather than beginning at Cassells Street and heading east.
The scope of work includes an enhanced streetscape treatment to better integrate the downtown with the waterfront. MCA Contracting Ltd. has confirmed that this change will have no impact on the project cost or completion date.
Instead of starting at Cassells Street, the Making Over Main Street project will begin at Sherbrooke Street and will proceed westward. The change is being made following consultation with the contractor, MCA Contracting Ltd., at the request of the Downtown Improvement Area (DIA).
“Based on the input of its membership, the DIA requested that the sequencing of the project be reversed,” said Mayor Peter Chirico. “The past few years have been challenging for Downtown merchants and they’re still trying to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Given that the DIA property and business owners will be impacted by the project the most, the City has made the decision to accommodate this request.”
The project, which will take place over two years, involves the reconstruction of Main Street between Sherbrooke and Cassells streets, as well as a section of Ferguson Street between Main and Oak streets. Work is expected to get underway in May, with completion tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2024.
Each block is expected to take up to three months to complete. Only once a block has been fully reconstructed will the contractor proceed to the next block.
“The DIA remains fully supportive of this project which will help to create more vibrancy in the downtown and bring more development and investment to the heart of our city,” said DIA Chair Katie Bevan. “We appreciate the City’s responsiveness to our members and its willingness to make this change.”
Prior to construction, members of the public can learn more about how the project will unfold during an open house at City Hall where there will be an opportunity to view the construction drawings, project schedule, and ask City staff and the contractor project-related questions. Notification of the public meeting will be provided once a start date has been finalized.
For more project information, please visit: https://www.northbay.ca/mainst