Current Status: WITH THE TOWN
Our Vision
Thank you to all of our BIA Stakeholders, Community Partners and Communty Members who attended public meetings or sent in thoughts and comments. All comments were comprised and submitted during our presentation to council.
We look forward to being a partner with the Town of Saugeen Shores and RJ Burnside to ensure the results of our lengthy review are incorporated and honoured.
High Street Renewal Concept
What Are We Talking About?
For many years the BIA and the Town have been considering renewing Southampton's High Street. The BIA took the lead on the project and in 2019 an architect to create a plan to show how High St could look and where there might be areas for improvement based on current and future plans for how towns around the world are evolving.
The Plan is now with the Town of Saugeen Shores and they'll be reviewing and establishing budgets and time lines for this project. We hope to see shovels in the ground in 2025!
Why Renew High Street?
Southampton has one of the most beautiful main streets in Ontario from a layout perspective in that High Street runs straight down to the shore of Lake Huron. However, we are in need of updated infrastructure. After the underground infrastructure updates have been made we have an opportunity to improve upon how the street looks in terms of plantings, furnishings, bike racks, public art, etc.
Southampton is a walking community and the more we improve upon that "stroll" and focus on not only showcasing the beauty and history of Southampton, but also on the businesses, promote shopping, dining and living experiences, Southampton's downtown will become a year round destination ensuring a healthier economy and beautifying the town for both our local community and those who visit our charming small town .
As our economy and population shift we need to update and evolve to ensure our main core continues to be a car stopping, people walking, tourism hub. Tourism keeps Southampton's economy alive, and to have a healthy town your downtown core needs to look and feel healthy. People are attracted to People.
(This photo is of Southampton, UK! Sidewalks could match our English Sister Town!)
What Does 'Support' mean?
It's important to remember the PDFs below are conceptional only. What does that mean? JMA has created some suggestions for each block of the main sections of High St and the High Street Committee made up of BIA members, Community members and Saugeen Shores Town members has reviewed, made suggestions and presented it to our BIA membership.
Our BIA membership feedback is at the bottom as well as responses from membership.
You are a SUPPORTER if: you believe that High Street could benefit from an updated and beautified downtown core at the same time as updating our infrastructure.
You are a NON SUPPORTER if: you do not believe that High Street could use updating and beautification.
The final drawing and plan will be created if the community supports the idea of High Street Renewal and the Town accepts our concepts and feedback.
Cenotaph Letter of Support
At this time the BIA is waiting to hear what decision is made by Legion members who have decided to create a new proposal.
Southampton's cenotaph has stood as a monument to the war dead from the local area for decades and is an icon at the foot of High Street on Millard Boulevard.
The Southampton BIA wholeheartedly supports the initiative of the Cenotaph Committee for their plans to renew the monument and make it a place of remembrance and commemoration for all those who have sacrificed their lives since the First World War. We have seen the preliminary concepts and feel they mesh beautifully with the BIA's own plans for the renewal of our main commercial block on High Street.
We particularly like the suggestion of a seating area for reflection, as well as using Walter Allward's sculpture at Vimy Ridge as inspiration and believe this to be just the thoughtful and considered installation that will be a positive and beautiful addition to the Town.
On behalf of our Board of Management, we look forward to seeing the plan roll out will support you in any way that we can.
Sincerely,
Sara Porter
Chair, Southampton BIA
Note from the Cenotaph Commitee:
In place since 1962, the unforgiving winds and weather off Lake Huron
have taking their toll on the existing cenotaph. The cairn and cross now
needs replacing. The beautiful name plaques will be re-conditioned and
positioned in a place of honour.
It’s time for this community to ensure, not only the survival of the
Southampton Cenotaph for the next century, but the expansion of the
memorial in a way that compliments the streetscape and allows space for
reflection and education. The design based on the iconic Canadian National Vimy Memorial, with two pillars about 15 feet high, would fit on the same boulevard footprint, display the existing plaques and be illuminated by LED lighting from the bottom up.
The Southampton Cenotaph is a project that citizens, local organizations, and the business community can unite behind to honour those that served.
Estimates place the project at $250,000. The Town of Saugeen Shores has
budgeted $125,000 with the remaining $125,000 to be raised through community fundraising. The town has established an account for donations over $100 and will provide tax receipts.
Cheques should be payable to the Town of Saugeen Shores with
an indication of "Monument" in the memo section.
For information on the Southampton Cenotaph Project contact John
Willetts john.willetts@eastlink.ca 905 691 0599
Listen to the Radio broadcast here:
Membership Feedback
Areas For Improvement
Parking: Parking is a general concern. Improved signage for longer durations parking off of main street as well as shifting angle parking to add additional spaces will be included in our recommendations to Town Council. It's also worth noting that parking is a universal issue across many communities regardless of size. Which is why we would like to focus on improving the High Street walk year round instead to create a better environment as we can not change parking in too many ways given our towns layout.
Flex Street: As weather is a huge factor in Bruce County, we only have a few months of patio season and it also happens while our parking spots are in full demand. The Flex street concept is just a suggestion showing what restaurants could do - if they chose to and had Town approval.
Bump Outs: We have referred to them as street calming measures as that is their purpose. We also recommend that they are placed on the areas they currently are painted on the road. This will ensure no loss in parking and will be used for their intended purpose - to ensure at pedestrian areas they stay safe an vehicles do not cut corners and cause avoidable accidents. We recommend using these as areas to improve the walking journey of our community whether through horticulture, placemaking or areas to sit.
Mid-street Greenery: While these are often placed in the space currently used by couriers to unload and delivery packages we do recommend beautifying the core while maintaining opportunity for vehicles to move about safe and efficiently. We also recommend to the Town that they upgrade and repair Leeder Lane and Union Lane and use signage to direct couriers and delivery trucks to the backs of stores as much as possible to make parking and traffic as easy as possible on our main street.
Event and Road Closure Opportunities: JMA has proposed opportunities for road closures. The BIA is aware that this is not something everyone is interested in. That being said, many of the worlds most people friendly and economical towns feature street closures or walking streets. In order for Southampton's potential street closures to be successful from a BIA perspective the events must draw attention and include the businesses on it. A focus on the BIA membership will make these experiences positive, but in the end it all comes down to each individual business and their participation. People go to malls and walk for hours, we can create the same desire in Southampton only better!
Missing Information: We have heard that some members feel there is missing information. We have tried our best to reiterate that this plan we are presenting is purely conceptual and we do not have the ability or knowledge to comment on engineering or construction type issues. Our plan is to build upon the already ideal footprint of High Street and to make this a Municipal Priority. Concerns like - but not limited too - accessibility, infrastructure, timelines and intricate details of the plan will be determined at a later stage with the professionals in each area. The BIA is simply the driving force asking for this change and making a high level suggestion of what the finished product could look like.
Did You Know?
1 in 3 people would avoid change if they could. In 1995 when 4 local Southampton men wanted to raise the flag we all know and love today many thought it a “hair-brained scheme’. Entirely funded by private and corporate donations for not only construction but also to date for maintenance.
This is a good reminder that while in the moment we can often think something is not needed, required or a hair brained scheme that does not mean that we should ignore the opportunity to do something great for future generations, business owners or community members full time or passing through.
Today, our flag is an icon. Let's do the same with our streetscape.
A Note From Our Chair
It's Time
The idea of a High Street Renewal project is not new, we have been here before. The one thing we almost all agree on, is that Southampton has a unique charming vibe and one of the most beautiful downtown streets in Ontario with the Lake view at the end of it.
A renewal plan doesn't threaten or change that, it builds upon it. We have an opportunity to decide what Southampton will look like for the next 50 years and we should take it. Not just for our local community enjoying it now, but for the future business owners, residents and our tourism community.
While change can be scary due to the unknown aspects choosing to do nothing will all but certainly guarantee the decline in our basic structures and at a certain point affect our economy. Our community is already walking friendly, we place emphasize on where people park when we should be placing that emphasize on enhancing the stroll. Our slogan is "Walk Store to Shore" and yet there is a belief that if someone doesn't park in front of our store they won't come in.
Southampton has unique businesses, amazing services, beautiful places to stay and deliciously wonderful restaurant that people walk for. This truly is one of my favourite streets and I look forward to the day when I can walk across the street and not roll an ankle in the cracks. Let's embrace this plan and lets grow.
This conceptual design is a BIA Priority and needs to be a Community Priority and a Municipal Priority.
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