The Diggin’ Downtown project in Huntsville has been given the green light to start work in the passive zone from Brunel Road to West Street.
There will be no changes to detour routes or road closures.
The town reports it wants to take advantage of quieter times and use the whole area to their advantage, so they can move forward more quickly.
Right now, this passive area is used to store equipment, material, pipes and machinery. Soon they will be removing sidewalks and crews will start diggin’ in Stage 2.
Tree removal and planting
Residents may have noticed the Town removed some trees along Main Street last week to accommodate its downtown vision. The Town reports the trees did not have a solid structure system underground, which impacted their growth and viability. The Town also needed to remove them before April 15th, to ensure they met bird nesting season timelines.
The town reports 40 new trees will be planted to enhance the downtown. These new trees will be planted in soil cells, which are long rectangular boxes placed underground. Using these will allow the Town to control the watering and nutrients they receive, so they can grow and become mature.
Businesses are open
Downtown businesses are open and the Town says its making sure the community can access stores for curbside pick-up during the Provincial shutdown. Pedestrian access will be maintained over the bridge, and throughout all Stages of construction. You can plan your downtown trip in advance and find parking closest to your favourite shop, service or restaurant by using the interactive parking map at Huntsville.ca.
Kent Park temporarily closed
Kent Park is temporarily closed until further notice to ensure the safety of the community with the adjacent construction. The parking lot is open to local traffic.
Tell The Town How They’re Doing – Surveys open until April 16th.
Town officials want to know how they’re doing so far. The community is encouraged to share their thoughts and feedback on what is working well and what could use improvement as Stage 1 construction continues.
To do so, visit engagemuskoka.ca and complete the Community Survey or Business Survey and tell them how they are doing.