Wilson Street reconstruction and parkade

The Market Parkade is the first parking structure to be built in Guelph in 30 years. It will start to address the current shortage of available parking spaces in Guelph’s growing downtown and is one of the first steps to implementing the Parking Master Plan.

The Wilson Street parking project includes the following components:

  • Building a parkade in the Wilson Street parking lot which will have more than 400 parking spaces,
  • Upgrading Wilson Street from Gordon /Norfolk Street to Macdonell Street, and
  • Replacing Norfolk Street footbridge.

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See the construction progress

Flickr slideshow

Wilson Street parkade

Timelapse video – February 2019

About the project

The Wilson Street parking project includes the following components:

  1. Building a parkade in the Wilson Street parking lot, located at the southwest corner of Wilson Street and Carden Street. The parkade will have a minimum of 350 parking spaces, be a maximum of six levels tall and include bicycle parking facilities, electric vehicle charging stations and elevators for improved access, including access to the Norfolk pedestrian bridge.
  2. Upgrading Wilson Street from Gordon /Norfolk Street to Macdonell Street. This work is being implemented as a Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, and will include:
    • Traffic studies and a possible change in the traffic direction (e.g. one-way moving north from Gordon /Norfolk Street to Northumberland Street)
    • Road repaving;
    • Sidewalk upgrades;
    • Adding bike lane(s);
    • Landscaping;
    • Watermain, sanitary and storm sewers replacement;
    • Potential redesign of on-street parking along Wilson Street (from Northumberland Street to Macdonell Street); and
    • Creating a pedestrian island on Macdonell Street across from Wilson Street
  1. Replacing the aging pedestrian bridge over Norfolk Street, located between Waterloo Avenue/Wilson Street and Macdonell Street.
Wilson Street Parkade Map

The Wilson Street parkade will start to address the current shortage of available parking spaces in Guelph’s growing downtown. This parkade is one of the first steps to implementing the Parking Master Plan.

Timeline and cost

Project schedule

  • Hire consultant team to assist with the project: March-April 2016
  • Public consultation to receive input on Wilson Street and parkade features and design: April-June 2016
  • Develop a request for proposal (RFP) process and documents to hire a design-build team for the parkade: April-June 2016
  • Develop Wilson Street reconstruction design: April-July 2016
  • Confirm parkade design details and next steps with Council: July 2016
  • Issue the design-build RFP for the parkade: July-August 2016
  • Issue tender and hire contractor to do construction work along Wilson Street: August-September 2016
  • Review design-build RPF submissions: September 2016 2016 NOTE: The four proposals received through the RFP significantly exceed the approved budget. As a result RFP 16-135 was canceled and a new RFP will be re-scoped and re-issued. Read the Wilson Street Parking Structure – Contract # 16-135 Update report for details.
  • Recommend design-build team to Council for approval: July 2017
  • Phase 1 of Wilson Street construction: (underground utilities from Northumberland Street to Gordon Street): October-December 2016
  • Phase 2 of Wilson Street construction (surface and underground work from Northumberland Street to Macdonell Street): Summer/Fall 2017
  • Start Wilson Street parkade construction: February 2018
  • Phase 3 of Wilson Street, the completion of the surface works from Gordon to Northumberland Streets has been integrated into the Wilson Street Parkade RFP to be completed during that construction project.
  • Complete Wilson Street parkade construction: September 2019

It is anticipated that the whole project, including the Wilson Street parkade and on-street reconstruction, will be complete by the fall of 2019.

Cost

Council approved the design-build contract of $20.4 million for the design and construction of the Wilson Street parkade and related street work, including replacing the pedestrian bridge over Norfolk Street.

Construction impacts

Every effort will be taken to ensure the construction of this project minimizes impacts on local residents, businesses and downtown parking.
Sections of Wilson Street and Northumberland Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during construction. Pedestrian and cyclist access along Wilson Street will remain open throughout most of the project.

There will also be a lane reduction on Norfolk Street between Gordon Street and Macdonell Street and traffic will change as follows:

  • The left most northbound lane on Gordon Street will become a left-turn lane only (onto Waterloo Avenue)
  • The centre lane will be the through lane on Norfolk Street past Waterloo Avenue
  • The right turn lane from Gordon onto Wilson will be closed and available for short-term parking as signed
  • The detour for traffic accessing the downtown core is to continue north along Norfolk Street to Macdonell Street.

Access to the Norfolk Street footbridge will be closed. People walking will be able to access the ramp to the sidewalk on the west of Norfolk, and can then walk north to Macdonell, or south to Waterloo, to cross Norfolk safely with a traffic signal.
The recommended detour for people on bikes is via Fountain, Wyndham, and Macdonell Streets. This detour is signed. People on bikes can also travel in the northbound lane on Norfolk Street. Motorists are reminded to share the road.
Check back here for updates on construction impacts throughout the project.

Quarterly updates

2019

2018

2017

2016

Background materials

Public Open House materials

Wilson Street reconstruction panels

Materials from the April 4, 2017 public meeting

352 KBWilson Street existing conditions (April 4, 2017)228 KBWilson Street public information panel (April 4, 2017)601 KBWilson Street design concept (April 4, 2017)

Materials from the July 20, 2016 public meeting

2 MBWilson Street public meeting panels, July 201625 kBWilson Street reconstruction comment sheet (July 20, 2016)

Materials from the April 21 and 26, 2016 public open house

4 MBWilson Street reconstruction panels – Printer friendly version
Upgrading Wilson Street from Gordon / Norfolk Street to Macdonell Street will generally include:

  • Streetscape upgrades outlined in the Downtown Streetscape Manual
  • Replacement of asphalt
  • Sidewalk upgrades
  • Cycling facilities
  • On-Street parking
  • Streetlighting
  • Watermain, Sanitary, and Storm Sewer replacement
  • Pedestrian refuge island at MacDonell
  • Review of grading at building entrances

The City of Guelph is looking for feedback from the public on a number of conceptual design alternatives being presented at this meeting. The main topics of focus include:

          • Possible changes to direction of traffic (Panels 1 to 5)
          • Possible cross section elements to be included (Panels A and B), such as:
            • Cycling Facilities
            • On-Street Parking
            • Pedestrian and Streetscape Elements

Please provide your written feedback using the contact information listed under the Contact tab.

Wilson Street Parkade panels

1 MBWilson Street Parkade panels – Printer friendly version

For more information

Project partners