Downtown Revitalization Project

🌟 Downtown Revitalization Success! 🌟

The wait is over, and it’s time to celebrate! 
Our Downtown Revitalization Project is officially complete — ahead of schedule and ready to be enjoyed by everyone!

✨ New decorative lights are now on, adding a warm, welcoming glow to downtown evenings.
🚸 Fresh crosswalks and line painting improve safety and walkability for everyone.
♿ Accessible parking is now available on both sides of Meredith Street, making our downtown more inclusive and easier to navigate.

This project represents a major investment in the heart of Gore Bay — enhancing the look, feel, and function of our downtown for years to come.

A heartfelt thank you to our citizens, business owners, and visitors for your patience and support during construction. Your cooperation helped make this project a true community success. 

As promised, all work wrapped up before the October 31st deadline, and we couldn’t be prouder of the results.

Come take a stroll downtown, see the improvements firsthand, and enjoy the refreshed energy lighting up Gore Bay! 

Coming soon: Safety railings will be installed at the Community Hall, adding the final touch to our revitalization efforts.

A Heartfelt Thank You!

As we officially wrap up our Downtown Revitalization Project, we want to take a moment to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who made this transformation possible.

To the hardworking crews, contractors, engineers, and partners — thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence every step of the way. Your teamwork brought new life to our downtown, and the results speak for themselves!

From start to finish, your effort, attention to detail, and determination kept the project on track — and even ahead of schedule!

And of course, to our residents and business owners, thank you for your patience and support throughout the process. This project was truly a community effort, and together, we’ve created a downtown we can all be proud of.

Here’s to progress, partnership, and pride in our town!

There’s a fresh new look taking shape downtown!

Here’s what’s been happening:
• Road lines have been freshly painted, giving Meredith Street a clean, polished look.
• Community Hall stairs have been formed, and new railings will be added soon to complete the upgrade.

For now, please continue to use the side door entrance to the Community Hall while work continues.

Everything remains on schedule, and we’re right on pace to deliver a refreshed and beautiful downtown core.

Thank you for your continued patience, cooperation, and community spirit — together, we’re making downtown Gore Bay shine!

Gore Bay’s downtown is truly coming to life!

🎉 Meredith Street is Officially Open! 🎉

We’re thrilled to announce that paving on Meredith Street is now complete, and the street is officially open to all residents and visitors! This marks an important milestone in improving our town’s infrastructure and making Gore Bay an even better place to live, work, and visit.

A big thank you to everyone for your continued patience during this major project. We know road construction can be disruptive, and your understanding has helped make this upgrade a success. The improvements on Meredith Street will not only provide smoother, safer travel but also enhance access to local businesses and services along the route.

Local Businesses Are Open!
While Meredith Street was under construction, our local shops, restaurants, and service providers remained open, welcoming visitors and residents alike. Now that the street is fully accessible, we encourage everyone to stop in, explore, and support the fantastic businesses that make our community thrive.

With smooth roads, vibrant local businesses, and exciting community events, there’s no better time to experience all that Gore Bay has to offer. Drive safely, explore the town, and celebrate with us!

Meredith Street Closed for final preparations for Paving

Closed for Vehicle Traffic

• Meredith Street will remain closed over the weekend as crews complete final preparation for final paving next week
• Paving begins Tuesday (weather Dependent) with traffic expected to resume by week's end
• This is one of the final steps in our exciting downtown revitalization
• Sidewalks and pedestrian access to all businesses available

Thank you for your patience and support as we celebrate this major milestone in bringing our amazing project to life!

This week, crews got the forms and rebar ready for the new Community Hall stairs, and the concrete will be poured today.

Next week, more crews will be in Town on Monday September 15^th to install the curb along the west side of Meredith Street. After that, they’ll start grading and getting things ready for the new sidewalk.

It’s going to be a busy couple of weeks as we head toward the finish line on this exciting project! Just like when the east side curbs went in, there may be a few short delays or minor disruptions. Crews will do their best to keep all businesses open and accessible, and we really appreciate everyone’s patience and support as the work continues.

• Last week, the crews prepared and formed the new stairs being installed at Community Hall
• This week, crews will be pouring concrete for the new stairs
• The new stairs at Community Hall is an exciting milestone of this project and again we thank everyone for their continued support.

Downtown Update Last week, crews completed the preparation work for curb installation along the entire west side of Meredith Street and began digging the foundation for the new stairs at the Community Hall. This week, work continues with the preparation and forming of the stairs foundation at the Community Hall, with concrete pouring expected to follow shortly. Everything remains on schedule, and we are right on pace to deliver a refreshed and beautiful downtown core. Thank you once again for your continued patience, cooperation, and understanding as we move closer to completion.

Downtown Update

Great progress continues on the Meredith Street revitalization! The lockstone installation on the east side is complete, with only finishing touches underway. On the west side, conduit installation has been completed along the south section, and this week crews will continue installing conduits along the remainder of the street.

At the same time, crews will be sanding and applying finishing touches to the east-side lockstone and preparing the west side for curb installation through grading work.

Thank you to everyone for your patience and support as we move closer to a fully renewed downtown!

Downtown Update

Last week, all of the removals were completed, marking a major milestone.
This week, crews will be installing conduits and light pole bases on the west side of Meredith, as well as continuing to install lockstone on the east side.

We’d like to thank residents and business owners for their cooperation and understanding throughout the process. The downtown is already looking fantastic, and there’s a real excitement building for its future.

Exciting update! Interlock installation has begun on the east side of Meredith Street. This week, the crews will continue installing interlock as well as continue removals and water service installations along the west side of the street.

Exciting progress is happening downtown!

• As of this week, Meredith Street will switch to one-way traffic on the east side to accommodate the next phase of construction. Please follow all posted signage and drive with caution.

• The new sidewalk along the east side of Meredith Street is now complete and fully walkable. Thank you for your patience during this work!

• Crews will begin installing lock stone in the boulevard areas on the east side this week, continuing to shape the refreshed downtown streetscape.

• Work on the west side of Meredith Street will begin this week, starting with removals at the corner of Main Street. All residents and businesses on this side of the street that will be affected will be notified ahead of time.

Thank you for your continued support as we move closer to a revitalized downtown!

This week, crews wrapped up all the preparation work needed for the new concrete sidewalks. Starting as early as Monday afternoon next week, concrete pouring will begin on the east side of Meredith Street.

During this work, there may be temporary interruptions to front door access as the crews pour concrete directly in front of business entrances. These interruptions will be brief, and the team will be working hard to put the ramps back in place and restore access as quickly as possible.

This process will take a few days, but once complete—you can say goodbye to the temporary ramps and hello to brand-new sidewalks!

Following the completion of the sidewalks, crews will begin installing the lockstone boulevards, another exciting step toward the finished streetscape.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we rebuild our downtown together!

Last week, crews successfully completed the installation of the new curb along the entire east side of Meredith Street. This is a major milestone, as the curb helps shape how our beautiful new downtown will look and marks the beginning of rebuilding our hardscapes.

Thank you to all the businesses, residents, and visitors for your patience and teamwork as we work through these changes together.

This week, crews will be preparing the area for sidewalk installation, which is scheduled to begin next week.

We’re excited to see the downtown vision taking shape, thanks for being part of the journey!

Downtown Revitalization Project Update

Work continues to progress steadily in downtown Gore Bay. This week, tree root barriers were installed—an important step to help protect our new sidewalks and infrastructure as street trees grow over time.

Electrical conduits have now been completed, and light pole bases were installed along the street.

Crews will be working on Tuesday, July 1st (Canada Day) and Wednesday (weather permitting) to begin curb installation—a major and exciting milestone in the rebuild. This phase will start to give everyone a better sense of what the new streetscape will look like.

Please note: Curb installation may cause some temporary disruptions during these two days. Crews will do their best to work with everyone and maintain access to homes and businesses as much as possible. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as this important work moves forward.

Thank you again to our residents, businesses, and visitors for your continued support during this transformation of our downtown.

Last week, work continued in preparation for curb and sidewalk paving. Electrical conduits were successfully installed along the north end of the east side of Meredith Street.

This week, conduit installation will continue down the south end, moving us one step closer to new sidewalks and boulevards.

The progression being made is exciting, and we sincerely thank all residents and business owners for their continued patience, support, and cooperation as we work together toward a refreshed and vibrant downtown.

Last week, work continued on underground water services and storm sewers along Meredith Street. Temporary wooden walkways were installed to maintain access to businesses in preparation for concrete pouring. On Dawson Street, the new banners and masts were installed.

This week, crews will be installing electrical conduits and components for the new streetlights along the east side of Meredith Street. This work is an important step ahead of curb, sidewalk and boulevard installation.

We’d like to thank everyone for their continued understanding and cooperation during this busy construction period. Your support helps keep everything moving forward and together, we’re building the vision of our beautiful downtown to come.

As everyone in Town has seen, there has been a lot happening to our Downtown! Here is our weekly update recapping last week and talking about the plans for this week.

Last Week:

• New streetlights were installed on Dawson Street

• Sidewalk and boulevard were removed along the east side of Meredith Street

• Water service replacement began on Meredith Street

• New and improved parking lot lines as planned to support parking during the construction on Meredith Street (Both sides of Town Office/Library Parking Lots, new lines on Eleanor St, new lines in Main Parking Lot)

This Week:

• Water service replacement continues along the east side of Meredith toward Main Street

• Touch-ups are underway on Dawson Street

• Street banners will hopefully be installed on the new light poles

• Masts will be set up at the end of Dawson Street

Thank you to everyone for your continued patience and support as we improve our downtown core.

As many of you have already seen, construction in our downtown core is officially underway!

Friday May 22, sidewalk and boulevard removal will continue progressing down the east side of Meredith Street towards Main Street. This will continue next week as well.

Looking ahead to Monday, May 26, contractors will begin work on the ground and stairs at the Community Hall. Please note: access to the Community Hall will be maintained at all times through the side door.

To ensure safe and clear movement downtown, contractors will continue using fencing to guide pedestrians and clearly mark walkways to all businesses. Thank you to our downtown businesses for your patience and partnership during this phase.

Also beginning Monday, we’ll start switching over to the temporary water system. Every home and business that will be on the system will be visited individually to complete the transition. If you have any questions about the switch, please feel free to ask the on-site plumber or contractor team while they are at your building—they’ll be happy to help.

We truly appreciate everyone’s patience, cooperation, and understanding as we work together to build a brighter, more beautiful downtown for the future of Gore Bay.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Public Notice: Construction Activity – Meredith and Borron Streets

Construction activity is underway this week in the area:

• Meredith Street Partial Closure Begins Tonight – May 20
  Construction fencing will be installed this evening on Meredith Street, starting at the BMO on the east side of the road. This marks the beginning of the closure of Meredith Street, following the approved traffic control plan. Initial removal work will begin this week.

• Business Access Maintained
  Construction crews will be working with affected businesses to ensure access is maintained throughout the project.

• Borron Street Work to Begin Soon
  Work will begin on Borron Street shortly, hopefully this week.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as this important infrastructure work continues. Updates will be provided as needed.

Temporary Water System Installation Continues

This week’s update is much the same as last week. If you’ve been by Meredith Street, you’ll have noticed temporary water system pipes now running in front of and behind the businesses and homes. These pipes are part of the prep work for the next phase of the project—but please note that they are not yet hooked up and do not have water running through them at this time.

The installation of the temporary water system will continue throughout the week. We know the equipment and activity can be disruptive, and we truly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as this important work moves ahead.

Once this stage is complete, we’ll share another update with details on what’s coming next.

Thanks again for your continued support!

Temporary Water System Installation Begins Week of Monday, April 28

As part of Gore Bay’s Downtown Revitalization Project, contractors will begin installing a temporary water bypass system during the week of Monday, April 28. This system will help avoid disruption to the water supply while improvements take place.

What to Expect:

• Installation may take up to two weeks to complete.
• Contractors will begin work the week of April 28
• Once the temporary system is in place and tested, connections to homes and businesses that use water from Meredith Street will begin.
• Professional plumbers will install outdoor taps at locations that don’t already have them.
• Once connected, properties will receive water through the temporary system and access to the regular watermain will be turned off inside the building.

How the System Works:

• A 2-inch black plastic pipe will be connected to fire hydrants on Phipps and Main Street.
• This pipe will run along the ground behind buildings (and occasionally on Meredith Street).
• A 3/4-inch black plastic pipe, that resembles a garden hose will be laid out to each residence and business.
• Contractors will connect the 3/4-inch pipes or hoses to the outdoor taps and shut the main water service off inside of the building.
• If necessary, outdoor taps will be installed as part of the project.

Access and Safety:

• Contractors may need to access property to complete installations, and affected properties will be notified accordingly.

Timeline:

• Residents and businesses can expect to be on the temporary water system for approximately 8–10 weeks.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to improve our community infrastructure.

For more information, please visit our website or contact the Town Office at admin@gorebay.ca or 705-282-2420.

Downtown Construction Preparation Underway

Our Downtown Revitalization Project is getting closer to starting, and next week you’ll start to see the first signs of activity around town.

MCA will be on site and equipment will be coming to the lot between Cod Mothers and the Municipal Parking Lot throughout the week to — including a CAT excavator, safety fencing, a shipping container, and a backhoe.

It’s all starting to come together — thank you for your continued support and excitement as we get ready to transform Gore Bay’s downtown!

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the public meeting yesterday at the Community Hall. We were pleased to have MCA Contracting Ltd. and EXP present to showcase the design plans for Gore Bay’s Downtown Revitalization Project and answer questions from the community.

A copy of the presentation is available to download for anyone who was unable to attend.

For more information, please visit our website or contact Harry Schlange, Town Manager/Clerk, at hschlange@gorebay.ca or 705-282-2420 ext. 1.

The Town of Gore Bay is thrilled to announce that MCA Contracting Ltd. has been awarded the contract for the highly anticipated Downtown Revitalization Project. This milestone marks a major step forward in shaping a vibrant, future-ready downtown core while improving connectivity between the downtown area and the waterfront.

Following a competitive procurement process, MCA Contracting Ltd. emerged as the top supplier to bring the Town’s vision to life. With a strong reputation for excellence and a track record of delivering high-quality municipal projects, MCA Contracting Ltd. is set to transform the heart of Gore Bay into a dynamic hub where people can live, work, and play.

“This is a game-changer for Gore Bay,” said Ron Lane, Mayor of Gore Bay. “We are committed to making our downtown a more accessible, attractive, and economically thriving space. MCA Contracting Ltd. understands our vision, and we have every confidence in their ability to deliver a project that will shape the future of our community for generations”.

The Downtown Revitalization Project will include key upgrades such as improved streetscapes, accessible curbs, tree planting, and lighting—all designed to strengthen the Town’s identity and create a more engaging public space. A key component of the project is enhancing the connection between the downtown core and the marina, ensuring a seamless and inviting experience for residents and visitors alike. The revitalization is an essential part of Gore Bay’s long-term strategy to attract new residents, support local businesses, and foster economic growth.

MCA Contracting Ltd. has previously completed a main street revitalization project for the City of North Bay in 2024. With their experience and commitment to minimizing disruptions for local businesses, MCA Contracting Ltd. will be a valuable partner throughout this process.

The Town invites all residents and businesses to attend an open house, scheduled for April 3, 2025 starting at 5:30pm to 7:00pm. Town representatives and MCA Contracting Ltd. will be sharing the finalized design and further details about the project.

The Town is committed to ensuring the Downtown Revitalization Project reflects the needs and aspirations of Gore Bay’s residents and businesses, and we look forward to bringing this vision to life!

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For more information, please visit our website or contact Harry Schlange, the Town Manager/Clerk at hschlange@gorebay.ca or 705-282-2420 ext. 1.

The Town of Gore Bay will be completing sanitary sewer inspections along Meredith Street in support of the Downtown Revitalization Project. These inspections, conducted during the day on February 5, 2025, are an essential step in assessing the condition of our underground infrastructure before the commencement of construction.

During the inspection process, minor disruptions to traffic may be experienced, and we appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to enhance the future of Gore Bay’s downtown.

Exciting progress is underway for the Town of Gore Bay’s Downtown Revitalization Project! We are pleased to announce that the tender for the project officially opened to the public on January 28, 2025 on the Biddingo website. This is a significant step forward in our efforts to enhance the heart of our Town and create a vibrant, welcoming space for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

This revitalization project reflects the community’s vision of a more dynamic and appealing downtown core. It aims to improve public spaces, enhance the accessibility of the area, and foster a greater sense of community pride.

We thank everyone for their continued support of this project. For more information on the tender process or to access the tender package, please visit the Biddingo website.

Stay tuned for further updates as we continue moving forward with this exciting initiative!

The Town of Gore Bay is pleased to provide an update on the downtown revitalization project. With Council approval and funding secured, this transformative initiative will be moving forward in 2025 to enhance the vibrancy and appeal of our downtown.

As part of the early planning process, initial design concepts were shared and discussed during a meeting with local businesses and an open house with residents. 

Progress is already visible on Dawson Street, where sidewalk and lock stone improvements have been completed to align with the envisioned enhancements for Meredith Street. These changes set the stage for a cohesive and inviting downtown experience.

Additionally, Town staff recently visited Sault Ste. Marie to review their downtown revitalization efforts and gain insights from their successes and challenges. This trip also emphasized strategies on how best to support local businesses during the construction period and how to keep them open. Lessons learned from this visit will help refine our approach and strengthen the project's outcomes. 

The Town is currently reviewing the final designs, with anticipation of releasing the Request for Proposal (RFP) in late January 2025. The targeted timelines for this project are as follows:

• Late January 2025: Release of Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Late March 2025: Selection of Contractor
• April/May 2025: Host public open houses to:
  • Share the project schedule
  • Share the final design; and
  • Meet the Contractor
• Start of construction will be announced thereafter

(Please note that these timelines are subject to change).

The Town is committed to ensuring this revitalization reflects the needs and aspirations of Gore Bay’s residents and businesses. Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to bring this vision to life.

We are pleased to launch our project page, where you can stay up-to-date on Gore Bay’s exciting Downtown Revitalization project. 

The Downtown Revitalization project is part of our vision to create a vibrant, accessible, and attractive downtown area that serves as the heart of our community. Key elements of the project include improving public spaces, enhancing accessibility, supporting local businesses, and fostering a lively, connected hub for residents and visitors alike.

Here, you’ll find regular updates, project milestones, and details on future community meetings.

Please check this project page regularly for more updates.