Let's Keep the conversation rolling!

• Our next Construction Cafe will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on March 20 at the Sunday Blooms cafe (214 Woolwich St.). Come out to meet the project team, share your thoughts and ask us questions about the project. Everything from the construction timing, the Wyndham St. and St. George's Square design process, construction impacts and how we are planning to work with businesses and keep people coming to the Downtown, and everything in between will be on the table to discuss

We will be back with more formal engagement in April to share Wyndham Street detailed designs and a revised St. George's square design for your feedback.

Downtown Guelph is the heart of our city. It’s a place where residents and visitors come to live, work, play, and love. We’re going to make it even better and breathe new life to our Downtown.

We have a vibrant and thriving Downtown, and we want it to stay that way for years to come. We also have aging water and sewer pipes, roads and sidewalks that must be replaced; some of the underground pipes are over 100 years old! We’re replacing our aging infrastructure and upgrading utility services, and, before we put the roads back together, we’ll also have an opportunity to modernize the streetscape.

Improving this important Downtown infrastructure will allow us to provide better community-driven service and help support the economic vitality of our vibrant Downtown core.

However, work like this takes time. It takes years to research, engage with the community, create a dependable plan, and replace the infrastructure. This necessary renewal work will ultimately improve our Downtown for all businesses, residents, and visitors. Let’s work together to create a place for everyone in Downtown Guelph.

The Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program project is one of many exciting projects under the overarching Downtown Renewal efforts. The overall Downtown Renewal program will transform and revitalize how Downtown looks, feels and functions while still preserving its unique cultural heritage, which will make it future-ready to continue supporting growth to 2051 and beyond.

Planning phase

Planning for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal began in the spring of 2021. During the planning phase, we’re looking at the existing infrastructure and the future needs of Downtown Guelph to determine what needs updating..

As part of the planning work, we initiated two Municipal Class Environment Assessments (EAs). Environmental assessments involve collaborating with the community to support the planning and decision-making for large-scale projects. These EAs looked at various options for traffic flow, pedestrian areas and public spaces in Downtown streets, and the bridge and dam structures along Macdonell.

• The Wyndham Street EA examined the function of the road for all users including the number of traffic lanes and available active transportation infrastructure.
• The Macdonell and Allan Dam structures EA across the Speed River is being completed to confirm required improvements and the preferred solution for each. This part of the project has an dedicated project page on Have Your Say. click through to learn more.

In February 2024, City Council approved the Wyndham Street North cross-section and St. George’s Square reconstruction, which came from the original Wyndham EA. The Macdonell and Allan Dam structures EA will be brought to Council for consideration in early 2025, as this work is still being completed.

We have started to work on the final design of the first phase of construction for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal and will finalize that design in 2025. Construction will start in 2026 (with preliminary work in 2025 along Wyndham S. and Wellington).

The overall design and construction process for this infrastructure renewal is likely to last over the next few decades.

Project study area

Engagement opportunities

Join us for a Construction Café

On the third Thursday of every month, or project team will be at a different downtown café to meet with downtown businesses, hear your questions and share information. Drop in to have a chat in the morning. Coffee's on us!

The next Construction cafe will be:

• 9 to 11 am on Thursday March 20
• Sunday Blooms cafe, 214 Woolwich St. N.

Check out the 'More Information' section below to find out more about Construction Cafés and the upcoming schedule.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Wyndham Street N. preliminary design: Based on the earlier work done to determine the travel lanes and pedestrian areas for Wyndham North, we'll share a design that is 60% detailed to show specific elements such as pedestrian crossings, parking and patio spaces. Before we go any further with the design, we want to hear from you to make sure downtown's main street will make us proud for generations to come. This deign will be presented along with the proposed final design for St. George's Square for comment.

• Online April 1 - 29
• In person April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall (1 Carden St.)

More engagement dates and announcements coming soon!

Past Engagement and how the project has progressed

A summary of past engagement activities and what we heard from 2022 until our most recent phase of engagement can be found in the “Documents” panel on the right-hand side of this page, including:

• Fall 2024 engagement summary
• Spring 2024 engagement summary
• Fall 2023 engagement summary
• Summer 2023 engagement summary
• Fall 2022 engagement summary
• Summer 2022 engagement summary

How to reach us:

We're always here to answer your questions. Please reach out any time at mydowntown@guelph.ca. We'll get back to you within a few business days.

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