Tarvo Puust and his customers experience the poor driving conditions of Innisfil Beach Road everyday.
There are potholes and narrow stretches, and now, construction crews have been added to the mix. But the owner of the Innisfil Denture Clinic also believes those crews will eventually make the road significantly better, potentially converting it into a spot for tourism and local commerce to thrive.
"I'm pleased to see they're going in a direction that will make Alcona more of a destination," he said, while looking at design plans for the road earlier this week. "Right now, there's no real appeal for somebody coming here. But, with this kind of streetscape, it will be beneficial to businesses and the community. It creates a better feel."
Puust was among several residents and business owners who attended a public open house for the reconstruction and urbanization of a 3.8 kilometre stretch of the road — between the 20th Sideroad and Lake Simcoe — which took place at the New Town Hall Tuesday. The project, currently pegged at $29.6 million, is intended to turn the road into a significant downtown core, said town engineering manager Grant Shellswell.
"We're here looking for public comment on the design. We'll take the final design to council, for them to give their approval before construction begins," he said. "This is intended to be the commercial core for Alcona. Innisfil is a community of communities. Each of the different communities will have a different commercial core, this is the one for Alcona. It's the first of many.
"When we drive down the road, you see it needs to be rebuilt. There's nothing but potholes left. The majority of that cost is just rebuilding the road."
If completed as planned, stretches of the road will include bike paths, street parking, centre planter medians, left turning lanes, lighting and other upgrades. The project would also alleviate flooding concerns in the area, and a turning circle is proposed near the lake. However, costs for the reconstruction have also steadily increased in the last few years.
"It's essential for getting vehicular traffic in and out of the commercial core," said Ainley Group president Joe Mullan, whose firm is overseeing the planning of the project. "The streetscaping is going to help to promote a downtown community, which Alcona needs."
The beautification of the road is only about 12 per cent of the project's total cost. And about 80 per cent of the project is being funded by development charges, with the town, provincial and federal governments, and Alcona developer groups covering the remaining amount, he says.
But council will also be tasked with making some difficult funding choices, said mayor Brian Jackson.
"The majority of the folks I spoke with endorsed what we're trying to do," he said. "One thing that's going to be a problem is how to fund this. It's one thing to get provincial and federal funding, but we do have to match. There will be an impact on taxes somewhere. Now council needs to work on the financial strategy to make this happen. They'll have to move fairly quickly next year."
The town is also conducting a rezoning process for the stretch of road, attempting to address open space, right of way, landscaping, signage and building and parking standards for properties located near the roadway. The rezoning could require several significant changes to those homes and businesses. The most noticeable difference could involve lot frontages, with new buildings expected to be constructed one to four metres from the roadway.
Several residents have also written letters to The Scope in recent weeks, suggesting the town plans to convert properties between the 25th Sideroad and the lake into commercial and apartment complexes.
Shellswell says a rezoning public meeting will be held, to showcase the town's plans for affected properties along the road and receive public input. So final decisions have yet to been made.
"There's a zoning study being done by the town, looking at the different precincts along the road and setting new standards," he said. "There will be a public meeting for that. (The Planning Department) is working on (property near) the road. They've looked at options for the waterfront precinct that could include commercial uses on the bottom (of buildings) and residential on top, and 14-story condo buildings. It'll be brought forward for public comment, and is subject to council's approval."
Jackson agrees.
"Council is not aware of where the rezoning is going at this time; it's premature," he said. "We'll have public meetings to deal with the rezoning, if properties are going to be rezoned."