Council Receives Update on Launch of Burlington Civic Square & Brant Street Renewal Project
Burlington Council recently received an update from staff concerning the Civic Square and Brant Street renewal project.
In 2021, the City received Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – Community, Culture and Recreation Stream funding for the renewal of Civic Square and Brant Streetscape (from Elgin to Ontario streets on the west side).To make the project more efficient and to ensure a cohesive design, the Civic Square renewal project has been combined with two additional capital projects: the Brant Street entrance to City Hall and streetscape improvements on Elgin Street.This is a significant investment for the city and a crucial improvement to a location that is central to the downtown core and an integral part of the City’s network of public spaces. The main objectives of this project are to improve accessibility, functionality, and the character of the spaces, so that it contributes to a more vibrant and complete community.This staff report represents the official launch of the Civic Square and Brant Street Renewal projectMY TAKE:This is a once in a generation opportunity -- to make the entrance to our City Hall and Civic Square space a new destination place and a template for how we build our new civic buildings in the future — with a wholistic designs that incorporates nearby existing pieces around City Hall. I love the idea we heard of consulting with our twin cities on this redesign — the tulips that appear every spring in our Civic Square are representative of Apeldoorn, The Netherlands and the large clock at City Hall is from Itabashi, Japan (a version of which also appears at their City Hall). I look forward to the broad-based consultations we'll be having on this.
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To read the staff report and related supporting documents, please click/tap the links below:
- Staff report: ES-27-23 Civic Square and Brant Street Renewal - Project Initiation
- Appendices:
- Staff presentation: ES-27-23 Revised Appendix B to Civic Square and Brant Street renewal - project initiation
BACKGROUND:The overriding goal of the Civic Square and Brant Street Renewal initiative is to visualize, design, and implement the renewal of Civic Square, City Hall Entrance, and adjacent streetscapes to contribute to a healthier and more vibrant downtown core.Through a combination of functional servicing, landscape and architectural improvements, the success of the project will be measured on its ability to bring people together in an environment that is welcoming to people of all abilities and backgrounds, while better supporting the community and local downtown businesses.The following design objectives will contribute to achieving the project goal:
- Accessibility - Create a space that is barrier free and accommodating of all mobility devices;
- Enhancing community connections - Focus on walkability and amenities for pedestrians;
- Consideration for maintenance operations – Design to support how the space will be operated and maintained;
- Preserving and enhancing nature;
- Developing community identity - Bring together arts and culture through festivals, events, and ceremonies;
- Creating a welcoming and comfortable public space – a public space that is vibrant, safe, and comfortable for all;
- Versatility – flexible spatial design that can accommodate many activities; and
- Civic pride through the design process - through community and stakeholder engagement, collect feedback and integrate as many ideas as possible into the final design.