Dreaming of revitalization on Facer Street
There’s been no shortage of ideas in the past few years about how to revitalize Facer Street from the people who work and live there.
They launched a European festival that draws thousands of people. Supported a city ordered consultants’ study aimed at revitalization. And brought in small improvements such as street signs and historical plaques unveiled this summer.
“It’s fair to say we obviously want to keep the momentum going,” says Derek Kedzierski, third generation owner of St. Joseph’s Bakery on the street, located between Niagara Street and Grantham Avenue north of the QEW in St. George’s ward.
Facer Street business owners and residents have big dreams for their street and want to see them grow during the next term of council.
In 2017, city council approved spending $10,000 to hire a consultant to come up with ideas for revitalizing the area. The non-profit organization 8-80 Cities was retained, held community consultations and recommended 21 improvements including murals and a gateway, ranging from less than $10,000 to more than $1 million.
Kedzierski, a member of the Facer District Merchants and Residents Association, says there are smaller decorative efforts the association can undertake to make people feel they are in a warmer, more inviting area of town.
But to do any major works, council will need to order an environmental study, estimated to cost $100,000.
Council debated the issue in March but in the end decided to wait for the province’s Ministry of Transportation to undertake its own environment assessment
related to the QEW Garden City Skyway widening.
Kedzierski says that was shortsighted because the province is only looking at the intersection of Niagara, Facer and Vine streets, not the whole Facer neighbourhood.
“With the new council, hopefully we’ll be able to drive home the importance of this,” he says. “The environmental assessment is the stepping stone for anything to take place.”
Roberto Vergalito, owner of Roberto’s Pizza Passion and president of the association, says cities in Niagara and beyond have created niche areas that have become thriving walkable communities with new businesses, investors and housing. People go out of their way to visit spots like Hess Village in Hamilton and Little Italy on St. Clair in Toronto, he says.
“St. Catharines is such an amazing city and it has so much to offer, we just need to start really focusing on the great parts of this city and making them places where people want to be,” he says.
The Standard asked St. George’s candidates if they support the revitalization of Facer Street and if so, how they would pay for it.
Brody Longmuir, a marketing analyst for the Grape Growers, says following through with the vision for Facer will not only help strengthen the community but stimulate the local economy as more people visit the area. He said creative fundraising efforts such as selling bricks with names for walkways could balance the investment with other financial needs.
Vicki-Lynn Smith, retired from government, says the city should establish a pool of funding to which citizen groups can
apply for improvement projects led by the community. She says that would create an opportunity for public and community partnerships that encourage contractors, provincial and federal funding organizations to be involved.
Incumbent Sal Sorrento says there is a clear desire to support the district and stronger neighbourhoods make a stronger city. He says the residents association will contribute funds to the cause and work with the private sector, adding the city’s capital budget can accommodate it.
Kevin Townsend, a teacher, says he believes Facer Street can be revitalized without the city footing the major costs. He said cities such as Hamilton have built nice streets of restaurants and cafes with the support of developers and by holding community events that help raise funds for revitalization.