Ground broken for downtown Port Colborne ‘oasis’
A new park in downtown Port Colborne will serve as a catalyst for further rejuvenation of the neighbourhood that has seen vast improvements in recent times, its proponents say.
On Saturday, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the corner of King and Charlotte streets, marking the start of the New Life in the City project taken on by St. James and St. Brendan Anglican Church.
The fully-accessible parkette has a budget of $500,000 and nearly half of that amount has already been secured through donations and successful grant applications.
The municipal and federal governments, as well as Niagara Community Foundation, are among groups that have supported the project financially so far.
The quiet area will be complemented by two nearby buildings, one of them the home of Ozzy’s Garage, a place for at-risk youths to get hands-on mechanical experience.
Another structure adjacent to the site will become the headquarters of the Phoenix Artist Group, a collective of renowned woodworkers who have work on display in galleries in France, said Bill Armstrong, one of the park committee members.
Rev. Rob Hurkmans said he was delighted to be able to welcome the community to the site for Saturday’s ceremony.
“It’s been two years of dreaming, planning and fundraising,” he said.
“It’s exciting to be able to take the first step in making this a reality.”
There will be a garden area, room for small fairs and shows, as well as a pavilion that will serve as the park’s centrepiece, Hurkmans said.
“It’s all about gathering here.” Mayor John Maloney said he couldn’t find a parking spot as close as he would have liked to Saturday’s gathering, but wasn’t upset about it. This meant the downtown core was bustling with activity even a couple of hours before the nearby Port Colborne Art Crawl was in full swing.
He said the park will be an “oasis” downtown and that he is glad the fundraising group isn’t taking on major debt as it works on the project.
“They will move forward as they have the money to proceed,” said Maloney.
“This is excellent,” he added. Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said he is glad his government was able to contribute $25,000 to the project.
The park is expected to be ready by fall.