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The Packet & Times
A new plan looking to link the downtown to the Lake Couchiching waterfront is in the works.
The city expects to have a consultant hired to create a new vision for Orillia's downtown core and waterfront by the end of the year.
"During elections it was one of my campaign objectives to revitalize the downtown and waterfront, as I see it to be the new genesis of Orillia," Mayor Angelo Orsi wrote in an email. "The revitalization will create jobs, attract investment, tourism, create more downtown residential units, which will help strengthen our city core."
Looking to create a Niagara-on-the-Lake alternative that will highlight equally the city's historic core and scenic shorelines, the planning process has been budgeted at $200,000, Orsi said.
In 2003, the city commissioned a waterfront study that resulted in little action. The previous plan suggested the waterfront could benefit from retail redevelopment, linking the end of Mississaga Street with the waterfront using an urban terrace, a redevelopment of the industrial Imperial Oil and Schachter scrapyard sites and an expansion of waterfront neighbourhoods.
While the city had downtown plans and waterfront plans previously developed, an all-encompassing vision with the potential to lure private investment has yet to be seen, said Dan Landry, economic development manager.
The 2003 plan recommended a previous downtown community improvement report be updated to achieve the vision.
"Part of this process is to review what has been done in the past, but the focus (now is) looking at how do we link the downtown to the waterfront," Landry said.
In addition to its holistic approach, the new plan is expected to lay out costs associated with the vision's development.
"The previous plans have not provided a financial plan, nor the mechanism to substantiate the successful implementation of the development, which I truly believe to be the difference. This one will," Orsi wrote.
The planning process will use a design charrette, which relies heavily on the input of all stakeholders involved, including private landowners, government officials, developers and the public.
"This isn't the kind of thing you can go into with preconceived notions," Landry said. "Everybody has an idea of what should or could happen and that will all be litmus tested during the charrette process."
The request for proposal prepared by staff is heavily focused on affordable options, Landry added.
A plan by the previous council to have 2% of the tax rate, phased over a number of years, go toward park reserves means that current city leaders will have some additional funds available for implementation.
In addition, substantial financial contributions have been added to the city's major capital facilities reserve since 2002, which could be accessed.
"One of the problems with all great plans is you need money to make improvements. There was never enough money to implement anything," said Joe Fecht, a former councillor.
The planning process is expected to wrap up before 2013 budget, giving civic leader the opportunity to consider taking action on the revitalization plan before the end of next year.
"I think they have the wherewithal and the money now to do that, which we didn't," Fecht said. "I hope they take the opportunity to implement something before their term is over."
