Council hears options to revive Wallaceburg’s south side

From new parkland and cultural spaces, to housing and small business opportunities, various ideas are being discussed to help revitalize Wallaceburg’s south side.

Chatham-Kent councilors received a presentation at a recent council meeting on the proposed secondary plan, following public consultation surveys, workshops and open houses in recent months.

“This area, over the last several decades, has declined in its vitality and its overall contribution to the town of Wallaceburg and the municipality of Chatham-Kent,” said planning services director Ryan Jacques.

“There was quite a lot of engagement with people in Wallaceburg.”

A comprehensive land use study was undertaken, with council awarding a consulting tender in 2021 to Fotenn Planning + Design and TY Lin Associates.

The intent is to set a 20-year-plus vision for the study area, which encompasses 22 hectares (54 acres) and includes lands located south of the Sydenham River, west of Murray Street, north of the railway corridor and east of McNaughton Avenue.

A secondary plan is a document that adapts and implements objectives, policies and land use designations. This is to help guide growth and change over time, as well as public and private investment.

Ute Maya-Giambattista, principal of urban design with Fotenn, updated efforts to date.

Noting there are currently vacant buildings and underutilized lands, she said the aim is to create a synergy within the neighbourhood, fostering sustainability and inclusivity.

“We know that the population is growing,” she said. “There is a (housing) unit need of almost 600 units in the community. . . There is a shortage of affordable housing. And there is obviously an aging population.”

Some other possibilities for the area include:

“We envision a waterfront park that would need to go through its own process,” Maya-Giambattista said, adding there would be consultation and a request for proposals.

Street reconfigurations would also be considered, along with bike lanes, multi-use paths and transit stops.

Another open house is slated for this fall, with the final report returning to council for potential approval.

“It’s been a long time coming for this part of our community to start looking at revitalizing,” Wallaceburg Coun. Aaron Hall said. “I’m really looking forward to the next steps.”

Mayor Darrin Canniff is hopeful the area will become a destination for residents throughout Chatham-Kent, as well as beyond.

“The whole region will be able to enjoy this property when it’s developed,” he said. “Certainly this is a long-term plan. This is not going to happen in the next two years, all of it. But we can start moving towards that.”