Downtown Revitalization

Downtowns were historically the economic, social, and cultural hubs of a city. Everybody would go downtown to shop and socialize. Downtowns were a place to see and be seen. Beginning in the early 1950s, people began settling further and further away from the central core. Businesses soon followed, leading to a gradual hollowing of downtowns and an increasing reliance on personal automobiles; a double whammy for downtowns, which unlike suburban neighbourhoods, were not designed to accommodate cars.

In recent years, many North American downtowns have enjoyed resurgence, with large scale public and private investments aimed at revitalizing and reinventing historic community centres. Sault Ste. Marie’s downtown is no exception. Beginning in the 1970’s, the downtown area, especially the waterfront, began to transform from an industrial hub with tank farms, coal piles and scrap yards to a cultural and recreational hub linked by the waterfront walkway. Industrial sites were replaced with recreational, cultural and administrative uses such as the Centennial Library, Art Gallery, City Hall, Clergue Park and Roberta Bondar Pavilion.

Downtown revitalization continues to be an important focus for the City. Since 2007 the Downtown Development Initiative has provided grants to property owners to facilitate façade improvements and interior renovations. Over the last 10 years, there has been over $95 million in private sector investment. Other recent efforts include streetscape improvements along Gore Street, the Queen Street tree replacement program, and laneway improvements in an effort to improve linkages between the waterfront, Bay Street and Queen Street.

Our downtown has been facing challenges that hold it back from becoming a more vibrant place:

• A stretched out linear commercial area along just a single street (Queen Street) as opposed to a more concentrated and walkable core.
• Perception of property crime and safety risks.
• Exodus of major facilities such as the hospital and Algoma Public Health.
• Competition with suburban shopping centres.
• Retail and office vacancies.
• Small lots and lot-line-to-lot-line building development.
• Lack of available housing options – although this is changing!

At the same time, the downtown has key advantages and opportunities that can be capitalized upon:

• Relatively low rents and property values.
• Exceptional waterfront, including vacant waterfront properties: Gateway Site, former Petro-Canada site, and St. Mary’s Paper Mill.
• Plenty of surplus infrastructure capacity (water and sewer).
• The downtown remains the administrative hub of the community, with over 700 businesses and organizations in the downtown core.