The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 14, 2015 | 20 The mission is a more vibrant and creative downtown continued from p.4 five reasons in the JC Williams Study conducted in 2014 of why people are not returning downtown." Plewman went on to state that 70 per cent of downtown guests arrive by car while only five per cent come by bike. The BIA director said she did want more information on some aspects of the master plan. She said more specifics were needed on the proposed commercial loading zones stating so far they appear too small to accommodate a transport truck. Plewman was also concerned removal of the Lakeshore Road East centre lane would impact traffic and asked what plans the Town has for servicing wider boulevards for snow removal. Plewman said businesses need firm timelines on the construction on Lakeshore Road East, so they can plan appropriately. That Options 3A and 3B would require additional examination by Town staff and therefore delay the process further, they were decidedly unpopular with many business owners, who wanted a clear and immediate path forward. With some downtown shop owners anticipating losses of 60 per cent of their business during the two years of construction, Plewman suggested some financial support from the Town might be appropriate. She said mitigation could be low interest or forgivable loans, free parking or a reduction in taxes. Council acknowledged Plewman's comments, but did not commit to any kind of mitigation. Those present also heard from Joshua Creek Residents' Association President Janet HaslettTheall, who said she supported the master plan and specifically Option 2A. She said approval of the plan sends a strong message council is ready to invest in the downtown. "Let's move forward so we can see the light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "This will let residents know infrastructure needs will be addressed and allow businesses to plan." Representatives from the Trafalgar Chartwell Residents' Association, Chartwell Maple Grove Residents' Association and the Oakville Lakeside Residents' Association also favoured the 2A option. In addition to approving the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan and option 2A, the majority of council voted to have staff develop alternatives for the phasing of construction for council's consideration. The engineering design phase for the master plan is expected to take 18-24 months to complete. The earliest possible construction start date would be spring 2017. Town staff expect it will cost $8.4 million just to construct the streetscape improvements for Lakeshore Road East. Additional public consultation will take place to assist Town staff in selecting street furnishings and material. · · · In conjunction with the Downtown Plan, Town staff presented a feasibility study that looked at the cost of building a second parking garage on Church Street between George and ATTENTION! FRIDAY, MAY 15th 10 AM SHARP! KING ST. ST. JACOBS FARMERS MARKET X INVENTORY REDUCTION BLOWOUTSALE! © SBSI 2015 Thomas streets where the Town currently operates a municipal surface parking lot. The preliminary preferred option outlines a seven-level garage (four above ground and three below) with 348 spaces and retail shops at street level. The current cost of the project is estimated at $23 million. Council directed staff to proceed with a business review study to determine the ability of a new parking structure to attract both short-term and long-term patrons, to provide recommendations on how the town may ensure the garage's success, and to review funding for a parking garage. · · · Staff also brought forward an update report on the Downtown Cultural Hub (DCH), which advised Council of the study progress and next steps. These next steps included the evaluation of themes and the development of options to present to council in September. The DCH team will hold the next community presentation on June 24. The DCH is intended to explore opportunities to create a downtown cultural and performing arts space including: a performing arts centre, art gallery, library, outdoor program space, and indoor cultural space or digital hub. · · · "Over the last year, both the DTS and DCH teams have worked hard to ensure we reach our vision of a more vibrant and creative downtown centre for business and culture," said Jane Clohecy, commissioner of Community Development. "Public engagement has been critical to realizing our goal and we will continue to work with residents and business owners as we move into the next phase of the Lakeshore Road reconstruction and the development of options for the cultural hub." Information on the Downtown Plan and the full study reports can be viewed online at www. oakville.ca. ARRIVE EARLY! CROWDS WILL BE LARGE! FARMERS MARKET X ST. JACOBS FURNISHINGS CO. OUT WITH THE O LD! IN W ITH T HENEW ! WEBER ST. HEARING AID SPECIAL *Some Conditions Apply (Clients portion) Up to 3 Year Service Warranty HOME VISITS AVAILABLE $295 Latest Technology 60 DAY GUARANTEE: FREE Hearing test · Age 55+ www.hearingclinicgroup.com LOCATED AT THE EAST END OF ST. JACOBS FARMERS MARKET 878 WEBER STREET NORTH WATERLOO, ON (519)747-1832 STJACOBSFURNISHINGS.CA MON -THURS: 9 - 5 FRI: 9 - 8 SAT: 9 - 5 SUN: 12 - 4 ALL SALES FINAL NO REFUNDS / EXCHANGES ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE Hopedale Hearing Clinic 905-827-7333 In Hopedale Mall, next to the CIBC 1515 Rebecca Street, Unit 38, Oakville