Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program

About this project

The Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program (DTIRP) aims to improve and upgrade roads, sewers, watermains, sidewalks, cycling facilities, and the streetscape in parts of the Downtown Secondary Plan area. The study area for this work is limited to the portion north of the Metrolinx railway tracks, plus Wyndham Street South to Wellington Street, and Wellington Street from Gordon Street to Neeve Street.

We have a great Downtown and we want to make it even more resilient, attractive, and welcoming for everyone of all abilities and ages using all modes of travel. It’s going to be somewhere all Guelphites can love, and where they’re excited to live, work and play.

 

However, work like this doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years to study, engage with the community, plan for, and implement a generational renewal of municipal downtown infrastructure. While that means construction and related disruptions, we’re committed to phasing and carrying out this work to minimize the impacts to people living in, working in, and visiting Downtown Guelph.

As we rebuild roads, we’ll also be modernizing the streetscape. With intentional and responsible planning, the infrastructure we build today will create the foundation for a vibrant Downtown Guelph for half a century or longer.

We’re committed to working with the Downtown community to plan and schedule this work in a way that limits the impact to daily life as much as possible. Together, we’ll create innovative solutions to keep our historic core thriving during construction.

This project is part of the overall Downtown Renewal Program to revitalize and transform Downtown Guelph for even more prosperity and well-being.

Downtown Infrastructure Renewal projects

The Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program includes a number of projects that are integrated and coordinated to complete the overall program of work.
Phase 0: Wyndham-Wellington Water and Wastewater Capacity Improvement
Phase 1: Wyndham Street North Reconstruction
Environmental Assessment: Wyndham Street Municipal Class
Environmental Assessment: Macdonell and Allan Structures Municipal Class Downtown Infrastructure Renewal documents

Latest updates

Implementation plan

The project team has developed a draft Capital Implementation Plan which was presented at an open house on October 2, 2024.

This sequence of construction was determined with the following factors and considerations:

• Economic development and capacity for growth: Does the street provide for additional housing and room for growth? Does it support planned density increase in Downtown?
• Watermain, sanitary, and stormwater needs: What is the age and condition of infrastructure? Are there capacity deficiencies?
• Utility needs: Are there third-party utility upgrades planned for the street?
• Transportation and traffic management: How will construction impact traffic flow? How many transit routes are on the street?
• Construction costs: How do construction costs affect the City’s capital budget?
• Construction constraints: Are there special needs that may affect construction (e.g., additional time to acquire permits)?
• Road needs: What is the current condition of the pavement? How urgently does traffic capacity need to be addressed?

Construction impacts and mitigation:

The impact of construction and potential mitigations have also been considered as part of the implementation plan. Things essential for consideration in the implementation plan include:

• Maintaining access to businesses,
• Accommodating deliveries and emergency services,
• Pedestrian safety, and
• Traffic detours.

We’re considering the various ways we can support businesses and community members as much as possible during construction.

Community engagement

In the fall of 2024, we engaged with businesses and the public on options for several of the concurrent projects that impact the Downtown through our online Have Your Say survey and a public open house. The purpose was to provide a broader view and fulsome context of this work for the community to discuss and understand. The October 2, 2024 open house focused on sharing the recommended construction implementation plan with the proposed ten construction sequencing phases, recommended pace of construction, and mitigations for residents and businesses. We received over 46 survey responses, and over 44 attendees at our open house during this engagement period.

We’ve released an updated Capital Implementation Plan, that incorporates what we heard from the community during this engagement period.

Visit Have Your Say to learn more about past, current and upcoming engagement activities to share your feedback with us.

Timelines

• Preparatory stage: Q2 2021 to Q1 2022
• Review existing conditions and develop problems and opportunities: Q2 to Q3 2022
• Develop alternatives to address the problems and opportunities: Q4 2022 to Q2 2025
• Develop study recommendations: Q2 2024 to Q2 2025
• Prepare project documentation: Q2 2024 to Q3 2025
• Commence construction
  • Q2 2025: Wyndham-Wellington Water and Wastewater Capacity Improvement
  • Q2 2026: Wyndham St North Reconstruction – Phase 1 – Farquhar to Woolwich

Project status and last quarter update

Planning Phase

• In Q1 2025, continue to advance the Macdonell and Allans Structures Environmental Assessment including consultation with specific interested groups
• Council Information Report being prepared to outline the DTIRP Capital Implementation Plan – Q3 2025.
• Community engagement and consultation for the Macdonell Bridge and Allan’s Structures EA completed in January 2025 with decision is scheduled to be made in 2025.
• Community engagement and consultation for the St. George’s Square designs on are ongoing in 2025.

Construction Phase

• Tender and award on a project to increase water and wastewater trunk capacity improvements along Wyndham Street South (Farquhar to Wellington) and Wellington Street (Wyndham to Gordon) with construction to commence April 2025.
• External design underway for Wyndham Street North Reconstruction – Phase 1 – Farquhar to Woolwich for construction start spring 2026.

Study area

Planning Phase

Capital Implementation Plan and environmental assessments

As part of this program of work, the City is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Macdonell Street bridge and Allans Dams structures, and completed an EA process for Wyndham Street (initiated as an EA; now exempt). The City is now developing an overall Capital Implementation Plan for this work. The Report will be completed in early 2025 with presentation to Council Q3 2025.

EAs include technical studies and engagement with community to support decision-making for large projects. The EAs are being completed in accordance with the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process as described in the Environmental Assessment Act. The EAs for this program of work will inform decisions about how the work gets done and what’s included.

• Wyndham Street EA: this project was initiated as a Schedule “B” Municipal Class EA in January 2021, and was completed as an EA-exempt project in accordance with the Municipal Class EA (October 2000, amended in 2007, 2011, 2015). The project reviewed the function of Wyndham Street North for all users to determine how the road should be redesigned including the number of traffic lanes, active transportation options, and the layout of the Wyndham Street and Quebec Street intersection (St. George’s Square).
• Macdonell Street Bridge and Allans Dam structures EA: this EA will confirm what improvements are needed to address structural deficiencies and improve road safety for the required improvements and the preferred solution for the Macdonell Street bridge, the Allans Dam bridge, the Allans Dam spillway and sluiceway. Recently, the Wards to Downtown Pedestrian Bridge has been added to the scope of work.

The City presented the preferred option for the Wyndham Street improvements in February 2024 to Council, which was approved, and expects to present the preferred option for the Macdonell and Allans structures EA to Council in summer 2025.

Construction Phase

• Phase 0: Wyndham-Wellington Water and Wastewater Capacity Improvement: this project (construction 2025) will allow the City to alleviate capacity restrictions in overburdened infrastructure and open development opportunities within Downtown Guelph, south of the Metrolinx railway corridor. The work will include the replacement of the watermain and sanitary sewer on Wellington Street East from Gordon Street to Wyndham Street South, and the replacement of the sanitary sewer on Wyndham Street South from Wellington Street East to Farquhar Street.
• Phase 1: Wyndham Street North Reconstruction: is the first phase of detailed design and construction project in the Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program. This project (construction 2026) was informed by the Wyndham Street EA and is the first phase identified in the upcoming Capital Implementation Plan. The work will focus on the reconstruction of Wyndham Street North corridor, from approximately Farquhar Street to Woolwich Street. During construction:
  • All underground municipal utilities will be replaced and upgraded,
  • The road surface will be rebuilt to the cross-section that was determined in the Wyndham Street EA, and
  • The surface will be replaced with updated streetscaping.

Additional project details

• Executive sponsors: Jayne Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Environment
• Program manager: Reg Russwurm, Manager, Design and Construction, Engineering and Transportation Services
• Planning phase approved budget: $3,030,548
• Wyndham-Wellington Water and Wastewater Capacity Improvement approved budget (design): $3,381,971
• Phase 1: Wyndham Street North Reconstruction approved budget (design): $26,361,740
• Funding sources: 24 per cent grants and subsidies, 17 per cent tax reserves, 44 per cent rate reserves, 15 per cent development charges
• Target completion (planning phase only): Q3 2025

For more information

Reg Russwurm, Manager, Design and Construction
Engineering and Transportation Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 2765
[email protected]