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Downtown one step closer to revitalization

If you want me to shop and eat in the downtown, give me parking and freedom from solicitation. If it wasn't for Alexandrias and the Wolves, I wouldn't stop there except for the light on Paris...

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Oct 29, 2009

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

City council has approved $72,500 in funding towards a project to revitalize the downtown. This stage of the project is estimated to cost a total of $290,000.

Of that amount, $40,000 is allocated towards the Big Ideas, Big Solutions Speaker Series and a communication strategy relating to the speaker series.

The proposed funding breakdown for the project will have the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation and the City of Greater Sudbury contribute $72,500, FedNor contribute $72,500 and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation contribute $145,000.

A contract has been awarded to Urban Strategies Inc. for the greater downtown vision, plan and action strategy, which is conditional on provincial funding being secured for a portion of the contract cost.

Urban Strategies Inc. will be awarded an approximate $238,000.

Council gave conditional approval to “hire Urban Strategies Inc. to engage the community and prepare a new vision, plan and action strategy to guide investment in the Greater Downtown Area,” according to a city release.

The funding from the city will not impact the budget. Twenty-five per cent of the project will be funded through the GSDC's existing funding envelopes, as well as unspent funds from the Official Plan Review. The NOHFC and FedNor are currently reviewing applications for the balance of the project cost.

The City of Greater Sudbury and Greater Sudbury Development Corporation staff were approached by various community organizations with projects in the greater downtown area in spring 2009, regarding a new vision, plan and action strategy for the greater downtown area.

Funding applications have been made to FedNor and NOHFC. Council's conditional approval of the contract award would enable work on the project to commence soon after provincial funding approval is received and be well underway early in the new year, according to city reports.

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11 Comments

  • drifter 11/3/2009 8:52:17 PM - Report Abuse

    If you want me to shop and eat in the downtown, give me parking and freedom from solicitation.

    If it wasn't for Alexandrias and the Wolves, I wouldn't stop there except for the light on Paris and Elm.

  • mikey27_2 10/31/2009 8:27:58 PM - Report Abuse

    If you want a vital downtown...people need to live there

  • Medic1913 10/30/2009 11:39:12 PM - Report Abuse

    Rhennaya your are definatly one of the few. I'm with cazziemanu on this one, 75% or more are using this service because they have spent their money on drugs or alcohol and rely on the food bank and soup kitchen for food. A couple of waitress friends told me the most crowded nights at the bars is on the first of the month, and on child tax credit day.

  • cazziemanu_1 10/30/2009 7:09:10 PM - Report Abuse

    Ok you were one of the genuine cases but there are people who have and never will work a day in there lives who can always find money for drugs and alcohol.
    I know some people who are quite content to live on welfare and have no intention of getting a job.
    Ok Oscar... so i guess my soup days are over...

  • Rhennaya 10/30/2009 11:05:49 AM - Report Abuse

    "Putting soup kitchens in a smallmore» ​p​l​a​c​e​ ​l​i​k​e​ ​S​u​d​b​u​r​y​ ​i​s​ ​n​o​t​ ​a​ ​g​o​o​d​ ​t​h​i​n​g​.​ ​I​t​ ​o​n​l​y​ ​a​t​t​r​a​c​t​s​ ​b​u​m​s​ ​w​h​o​ ​s​p​e​n​d​ ​a​l​l​ ​t​h​e​i​r​ ​m​o​n​e​y​ ​o​n​ ​d​r​u​g​s​ ​a​l​c​o​h​o​l​ ​a​n​d​ ​s​m​o​k​e​s​ ​a​n​y​w​a​y​!​!"

    That's C.R.A.P., Cazziemanu.

    I lost my job in June. The company used a clause in my contract to fire me rather than lay me off, so while I was looking for work, I also had to jump through hoops with EI trying to get a year's worth of EI payments to assist while I looked.

    I went on interviews almost every week, more than one. During the time, my savings dwindled to nothing. Friends and family helped me cover rent, but doing that left them unable to assist in any other way. My bills were piling up.

    I found a job.
    In September.

    That's four month with no income (EI is still mulling over my case).

    Four months. Two of which I ate at soup kitchens because I couldn't afford food.

    I'm not a bum. The job I have now? They weren't going to hire anyone for it, but I wanted it so bad and fought so hard for it I won it. I'm blessed. There are people on strike who will feel the pinch. There are people who are being laid off indirectly due to the strike who will feel the pinch. There are people from Sitel who were laid off in September looking for work who are feeling the pinch.

    How dare you call us bums? How dare you say everyone who uses a food kitchen is used by people who spend all their money on drugs, booze? I did neither. I spent it on keeping a roof over my head.

  • nowayout 10/30/2009 10:09:21 AM - Report Abuse

    This is good news, we shall all benefit from this one day!

  • Outskirts Oscar 10/30/2009 10:01:40 AM - Report Abuse

    Get rid of the LCBO near the transit area would be beneficial.

    However saying to get rid of soup kitchens,... I don't think so! No more soup for you Cazziemanu!

  • cazziemanu_1 10/30/2009 7:31:21 AM - Report Abuse

    Most of this money will go on consultation fees and commitees anyway!!
    This does not need loads of money just common sense things like getting rid of the drug dealers and shutting up the places that attract this scum.
    Putting soup kitchens in a small place like Sudbury is not a good thing. It only attracts bums who spend all their money on drugs alcohol and smokes anyway!!
    Spend more on on policing and just get owners of buildings to maintain them better and half the job will be done!

  • tapped out in the Nickel 10/29/2009 7:37:36 PM - Report Abuse

    "Of that amount, $40,000 is allocated towards the Big Ideas, Big Solutions Speaker Series and a communication strategy relating to the speaker series"


    SAY WHAT?????More consultants,more pie in the sky ideas and more wasted money.Why are taxpayers continually forced to fund projects for various community organizations.Let them find their own funding.This Mayor and Council are consultant happy pouring in good money after bad trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse.

  • Harry 10/29/2009 7:07:05 PM - Report Abuse

    We will still be talking about a downtown revitalization in 100 years. Good grief people ... there is nothing downtown that the average person in Sudbury wants. (except drugs). Just keep the streets clean and plant some flowers. Stop wasting money.

  • moi_2 10/29/2009 5:30:50 PM - Report Abuse

    Want to help out downtown. Have the police start doing their job and clear some of the drug dealers that hang around the Rainbow Centre and the bus depot.