Guelph’s downtown to receive a facelift as part of infrastructure project, pending council decision

If you’re going to do it, you better do it right.

Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie says he’s heard that sentence numerous times as council discusses tacking on above ground beautification to a major underground infrastructure project on Wyndam Street.

The underground work isn’t scheduled to begin until 2026. That project will include replacing 100 year old clay pipes with higher capacity pipes to accommodate the growing population downtown.

Once that work is complete, the street will need be rebuilt and that is where the Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Project comes in.

Guthrie tells 570 News Radio it will be a significant facelift for Wyndam.

“We’ll see wider sidewalks, patios, separated bike lanes, many more trees. The tree canopy will be huge,” He said. “And then there will be a lot of infrastructure we can’t forget about like art, placemaking, benches, things that are really going transform the downtown to be more pedestrian friendly.”

Guthrie says it will also make Wyndam Street and St. George Square more accommodating for community events and festivals that frequent the downtown.

Guthrie also says the beautification efforts will result in more private sector investment in the area.

“What people need to understand is that the amount of actual property tax revenue that comes from higher density order of development in downtown cores, is so much so that it actually helps the entire city.”

There have been several high density housing developments in the downtown area in recent years. Guthrie points out that Conestoga College will be setting up a satellite campus in the downtown next year, bringing even more people to the area.

A major project like this will require significant investment. Guthrie says that means some capital projects will need to be delayed.

“We will shift that money that was for those projects and move them up to do this in the downtown core. Because the timing of doing the construction starts in 2026. We only have one shot and one time to do this. We can’t delay doing the beautification of our downtown for 10-15 years, when that construction is beginning in a year and half.”

The draft proposal was approved at committee on Wednesday and council will vote on it at the end of the month.

Guthrie expects council will rally around the project and it will be approved.