THE City of Selkirk will spruce up the downtown section of Eveline Street.
Selkirk CAO Duane Nicol said medians will be installed at intersections to make them safer, sidewalks will be widened, a cycling path will be added, and trees will be planted. An underground storm water management system will be added.
The $7.2-million project is a key part of the revitalization of downtown Selkirk, Nicol said, adding the area has needed an upgrade for almost 30 years.
“I’m extremely excited to see this happen… We know that businesses in the area, the residential developments are really excited to see this happen to bring more foot traffic and people into the downtown area,” he said. “We want to build a place that people want to be and spend time in after five o’clock in the evening.”
Nicol said like many cities, Selkirk is trying to increase downtown density.
“It brings vibrancy to the community, and it makes the streetscape safer because you get more eyeballs on the street,” he said.
The plan is off to a quick start: three residential developments slated to begin on Eveline Street in the next two years.
“A big part of that is their knowledge that we are investing in ourselves and in our downtown area,” he said.
Construction will involve seven blocks from Eaton Avenue to Selkirk Park. The target date for completion is Sept. 30.
“It’s a very aggressive timeline,” Nicol said. “Everything has to go quite well.”
Selkirk will pay the full cost after it was denied a grant under the federal Building Canada Fund.