City councillors in Guelph have endorsed the vision for refurbishing a former downtown bus station.
St. George’s Square is in need of significant underground infrastructure work.
With the corner of Wyndham and Quebec streets being dug up anyhow, the question has been raised about whether the time is right to do something with the square.
Downtown Guelph BIA executive director Marty Williams is one of those who has raised the question.
“There’s been a lot of good thought put into it,” he said Tuesday.
“I want it to be a lively place that attracts all kinds of people.”
Plans unveiled by the city earlier this year call for it to be surrounded by a ring road, in a bid to alleviate confusion for motorists and pedestrians.
Wyndham Street would also be reduced to two lanes of traffic, from its current four.
No money has been allocated for the redesign, but city officials estimate it would cost in the neighbourhood of $6.5 million.
That doesn’t sit well with Coun. Cam Guthrie, who says the city is trying to “do everything in the downtown” and ignoring other neighbourhoods.
“We have infrastructure projects that need to be looked at across the city, not just in the downtown,” he said.
Guthrie says he’s yet to receive a single email in support of spending $6.5 million on St. George’s Square.
