The changing face of downtown Paris

Big changes are coming in 2025 for downtown Paris, a picturesque town 12 kilometers northwest of Brantford.

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The new year brings what the County of Brant is calling the “downtown dig,” a major reconstruction of the core that will replace infrastructure for water, sewer and utilities.

At the same time, the main strip featuring a variety of boutiques and restaurants will gain wider sidewalks and parallel parking — a change from angled parking that some locals and business owners have expressed concerns about.

The construction along Grand River Street North is expected to begin in early spring 2025, according to the EngageBrant online public forum.

But here are five notable changes the “prettiest little town in Canada” already undergone in 2024.

“It’s hard to say goodbye but it’s out of our hands,” the owners of Arepa Love posted on social media in December.

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Business openings and closings

The downtown core said goodbye to some longtime fixtures in 2024 — and gained some exciting new shops.

Closures:

Serbian-Venezuelan eatery Arepa Love announced on Instagram that Dec. 28 and 29 marked their last weekend at 11 Grand River St. N. “It’s hard to say goodbye but it’s out of our hands,” they posted on December 26. The couple opened their cheerful eatery after debuting their dishes at a stall at nearby Wincey Mills. Watch Instagram for updates, co-owner Ruth Hernández Perisic told The Spectator on Dec. 27.

Book lovers bid a sad farewell to Green Heron Books, which closed in May after 22 years of serving up rare, new and lightly used reading material.

Steve’s Place closed shop after three decades of serving up Greek dishes and classic comfort food like poutine. Pizza Pizza moved in, marking the only chain restaurant on the short strip.

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Just in time for the holidays, Cocoa and Crumbs started serving treats out of What’s the Scoop’s window on weekends.

Openings:

Rousseau Rares, a vintage shop, has taken up residence at 47 Grand River St. N. (former home of Green Heron Books), after previously vending at festivals and in a pop-up next door at the Gem Marketplace.

Paris wasn’t without a bookseller for long, as Riverside Bookshelf set up shop at 32A Dundas St. W. in November.

Rebel & Royal opened their doors at 119 Grand River St. N. in the summer, bringing bespoke fashion, alterations and sewing classes to the strip.

Cocoa and Crumbs, a new spot serving up warm beverages and treats, opened just in time for the holidays, serving on weekends from What’s the Scoop’s window at 20 Mechanic St.

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After sitting vacant for months, the former Tough’s Home Hardware at 30 Grand River St. N. became Losani Homes’ Riverbank Estates sales center.

Relocating:

On Dec. 15, Juniper Dining Co. announced on their Facebook page they’ll be moving to 7 Grand River St. N., which was part of a three-building redevelopment project that will house five residential and three commercial units, according to a media release from the county in 2023. The restaurant will remain open at their 3 Elm St. spot until then, owner Andrea Legacey told The Spectator on Friday.

Juniper Dining Co. remains open on Elm St. until they relocate to 7 Grand River St. N.

Free WiFi

Visitors were able to get online, thanks to free WiFi introduced to the Downtown Paris business improvement area over the summer.

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The pilot project marked “a significant step toward modernizing downtown Paris” and “improving the experience for everyone who visits,” a media release in the summer said.

The primary coverage area extends from north of the Arlington Hotel, through the downtown core to Wincey Mills. James Rickert, director of technology and business solutions for the county, told the Brant Connects committee at a meeting in June that more permanent technology is planned as part of the downtown dig.

New main library branch

In 2021, the county asked the library to take on the Paris Old Town Hall on Burwell Street and its restoration as a new main library branch.

In June 2023, council approved the concept design that would transform the hall into the Bawcutt Centre, a nearly 30,000-square-foot, multi-use new main library branch and community hub.

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Since then, some councilors expressed concerns about the price tag — about $40 million including construction and restoration, among other expenses.

While preliminary work began in the summer of 2023, the construction timeline is uncertain until council makes a final decision to award the tender or not, Kelly Bernstein, library CEO, told The Spectator in December.

If council awards the tender in January, the project would be on track to be completed by the end of 2026, she said.

Changes to film policy

Downtown Paris had a Hollywood moment, standing in for a rust-belt town when the Amazon Prime show “Motorheads” filmed in the spring and summer.

It’s the most requested area of ​​Brant County for filming, but isn’t likely to see too much camera action in the future, due the county’s new film policy.

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The 20 days of production with Amazon inspired some tough guidelines following a “general dissatisfaction from the business community,” when it came to the compensation, notice periods and parking, according to a report advisors saw on Sept. 3.

Because of the strict filming restrictions in the new policy, it will effectively “strangle” any “appetite for filming” in downtown Paris, Alison Newton, chief administrative officer for the county, told councilors at a policy development meeting in September.

Zoning bylaw amendment

In the fall, council initiated a zoning bylaw amendment process that will inform future development of downtown Paris.

It will set the framework for elements like how tall buildings can be, what they’ll be used for, how much parking is needed and how to manage flooding, according to EngageBrant.

It said the updated framework will ensure “the land can be used in a way that works well with the new downtown design and improvements,” is accessible for pedestrians, supports the businesses, and retains “the historical feel of Downtown Paris.”

The county sought public feedback through November and December. In the new year, council will receive a recommendation report and draft zoning bylaw amendment for approval.

Celeste Percy-Beauregard is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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