Goderich Council Gets a Preview of the New Downtown

by Bob Montgomery

The renovation to the square in Goderich is expected to start in 2025 but council and the public got an idea of what they can expect in a presentation at this week's council meeting.

Mayor Trevor Bazinet says the trigger for the project is the underground infrastructure that's over 100 years old that needs to be addressed before there is a serious accident. Bazinet says 80% of the project is that infrastructure, but while they're tearing up the pavement, there are some other changes that could be made. “The goal is to provide an accessible space and a safe space for all to enjoy. So if we can create a safer area for pedestrians especially, we want to do that.”

Part of the plan involves reducing the width of the vehicular lanes around the Square and Bazinet says that will open up other areas. “We want to widen the sidewalks to provide a space, not only for pedestrians but maybe more trees for shade for people to enjoy the inner part of the circle and it will provide more retail space for businesses to bring their merchandise outside in better weather and expand on the patios for restaurants.” Bazinet says they learned through COVID that outdoor patios were a benefit to their restaurant owners around the square and a little more space creates a more vibrant downtown by adding wider sidewalks.

They're hoping to start digging up the roads around the square in 2025, but if we get another winter like this past winter they might be able to start a little bit early. He says they're probably looking at March 2025. He also wants people to know that one half of the square will be done in 2025 and the other half will be done in 2026, so the entire square won't all be dug up at the same time.