Signs announcing “Coming Soon” have been installed on property being prepared for Brantford’s long-awaited Costco store.
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But representatives for the retail giant couldn’t be reached for comment on Friday and Brantford was not on the list of “new locations coming soon” on the Costco Wholesale website.
Despite the signs, the company has yet to officially confirm its impending arrival even after the city issued a $33.5-million building permit to the big box store last March and equipment arrived on the parcel of land adjacent to Lynden Park Mall to start site work.
Mayor Kevin Davis said only the company can officially comment on when the store will open but, when contacted on Friday, said he’s pleased progress is being made at the site.
“I am, of course, very pleased that having obtained their building permits from the city several months ago that Costco is now proceeding to construct the Brantford Costco and gas bar,” said Davis. “Long overdue and much anticipated.”
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The building permit, issued on March 31, 2023, was for a new Costco warehouse adjacent to the mall at 84 Lynden Road.
In early May, the city’s chief building official, Andy McMahon, said he thought the work was “on track for a planned November opening.”
On Friday, it appeared as though the building foundation had been poured and footings were in place for the structural steel support. There also appeared to be some bases in place for light fixtures in the parking lot.
Over the past year, site work has been underway, including grading, drainage, sewers, roads, water and electrical hookups. Plans by the Ministry of Transportation call for widening the off-ramp from Highway 403 at Wayne Gretzky Parkway to provide two north turning lanes toward the mall. A road has been created to enter the mall property, near the tourism center building, which will allow entry of northbound traffic.
Brantford residents have been waiting a long time for the store. Coun. Richard Carpenter said residents inquiring about when a Costco would be coming to the city “has probably been the biggest question that we’ve been asking for many years.”
Carpenter said this is the third successive council working on getting the store established.
Among the new Costco locations listed on the company website as opening between May and August are more than 10 in the United States and those in China, Korea and Japan.
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