Downtown Infrastructure Renewal

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Discover our St. George's Square design options and share your feedback

Share your preferences and comments with our design team right inside a dedicated Virtual Open House site. We will use community feedback to refine a preferred design to share back in March.

Click here to discover the St. George's Square design options

  • Participate online January 20 to Feb 19
  • Our next Construction Cafe will be on February 20 at Capistrano. Look out over the square and chat with our team about the designs and potential for this jewel of a public space.

Incase you missed it, the display boards from the February 12 open house are posted here, but the same information is available on the Design Options activity linked above



Downtown Guelph is the heart of our city. It’s a place where residents and visitors come to live, work, play, and love. We’re going to make it even better and breathe new life to our Downtown.

We have a vibrant and thriving Downtown, and we want it to stay that way for years to come. We also have aging water and sewer pipes, roads and sidewalks that must be replaced; some of the underground pipes are over 100 years old! We’re replacing our aging infrastructure and upgrading utility services, and, before we put the roads back together, we’ll also have an opportunity to modernize the streetscape.

Improving this important Downtown infrastructure will allow us to provide better community-driven service and help support the economic vitality of our vibrant Downtown core.

However, work like this takes time. It takes years to research, engage with the community, create a dependable plan, and replace the infrastructure. This necessary renewal work will ultimately improve our Downtown for all businesses, residents, and visitors. Let’s work together to create a place for everyone in Downtown Guelph.

The Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program project is one of many exciting projects under the overarching Downtown Renewal efforts. The overall Downtown Renewal program will transform and revitalize how Downtown looks, feels and functions while still preserving its unique cultural heritage, which will make it future-ready to continue supporting growth to 2051 and beyond.

Lovable downtown banner: even more reasons to love your Downtown with logo for Downtown Renewal project

Planning phase

Planning for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal began in the spring of 2021. During the planning phase, we’re looking at the existing infrastructure and the future needs of Downtown Guelph to determine what needs updating..

As part of the planning work, we initiated two Municipal Class Environment Assessments (EAs). Environmental assessments involve collaborating with the community to support the planning and decision-making for large-scale projects. These EAs looked at various options for traffic flow, pedestrian areas and public spaces in Downtown streets, and the bridge and dam structures along Macdonell.

In February 2024, City Council approved the Wyndham Street North cross-section and St. George’s Square reconstruction, which came from the original Wyndham EA. The Macdonell and Allan Dam structures EA will be brought to Council for consideration in early 2025, as this work is still being completed.

We have started to work on the final design of the first phase of construction for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal and will finalize that design in 2025. Construction will start in 2026.

The overall design and construction process for this infrastructure renewal is likely to last over the next few decades.

Project study area showing the river, London road, Dublin St N. and the train tracks as the main boundaries for the first phase of engagement, with a future consideration indicated blow the tracks as far as York roadProject study area



Engagement opportunities

St. George's Square design options:

We're back to share two design options informed by ideas and comments we heard throughout 2024 at our community pop up events and online activities. We've developed a special site to take you through the history of St. George's square and how we got to these two designs, then we share the designs, how we expect the community might use them and present possible fixtures that could be included.

Share your preferences and comments with our design team right inside the design discovery site. We will use community feedback to refine a preferred design to share back in March.

Join us for a Construction Café

On the third Thursday of every month, or project team will be at a different downtown café to meet with downtown businesses, hear your questions and share information. Drop in to have a chat in the morning. Coffee's on us!

The at the February 20 Construction Café, we will be joined by the designers working on St. George's square. Join them in small group conversations about the presented designs and share your feedback with them directly while overlooking the space from the comfort and warmth of Capistrano.

Check out the 'More Information' section below to find out more about Construction Cafés and the upcoming schedule.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Wyndham Street N. preliminary design: Based on the earlier work done to determine the travel lanes and pedestrian areas for Wyndham North, we'll share a design that is 60% detailed to show specific elements such as pedestrian crossings, parking and patio spaces. Before we go any further with the design, we want to hear from you to make sure downtown's main street will make us proud for generations to come. This deign will be presented along with the proposed final design for St. George's Square for comment.

  • Online March 25 to April 23
  • In person March 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall (1 Carden St.)

More engagement dates and announcements coming soon!


Past Engagement and how the project has progressed

A summary of past engagement activities and what we heard from 2022 until our most recent phase of engagement can be found in the “Documents” panel on the right-hand side of this page, including:

How to reach us:

We're always here to answer your questions. Please reach out any time at mydowntown@guelph.ca. We'll get back to you within a few business days.

Sign up to follow the project for regular updates. Simply subscribe using the "stay informed" link in the upper right corner of this page.

Discover our St. George's Square design options and share your feedback

Share your preferences and comments with our design team right inside a dedicated Virtual Open House site. We will use community feedback to refine a preferred design to share back in March.

Click here to discover the St. George's Square design options

  • Participate online January 20 to Feb 19
  • Our next Construction Cafe will be on February 20 at Capistrano. Look out over the square and chat with our team about the designs and potential for this jewel of a public space.

Incase you missed it, the display boards from the February 12 open house are posted here, but the same information is available on the Design Options activity linked above



Downtown Guelph is the heart of our city. It’s a place where residents and visitors come to live, work, play, and love. We’re going to make it even better and breathe new life to our Downtown.

We have a vibrant and thriving Downtown, and we want it to stay that way for years to come. We also have aging water and sewer pipes, roads and sidewalks that must be replaced; some of the underground pipes are over 100 years old! We’re replacing our aging infrastructure and upgrading utility services, and, before we put the roads back together, we’ll also have an opportunity to modernize the streetscape.

Improving this important Downtown infrastructure will allow us to provide better community-driven service and help support the economic vitality of our vibrant Downtown core.

However, work like this takes time. It takes years to research, engage with the community, create a dependable plan, and replace the infrastructure. This necessary renewal work will ultimately improve our Downtown for all businesses, residents, and visitors. Let’s work together to create a place for everyone in Downtown Guelph.

The Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program project is one of many exciting projects under the overarching Downtown Renewal efforts. The overall Downtown Renewal program will transform and revitalize how Downtown looks, feels and functions while still preserving its unique cultural heritage, which will make it future-ready to continue supporting growth to 2051 and beyond.

Lovable downtown banner: even more reasons to love your Downtown with logo for Downtown Renewal project

Planning phase

Planning for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal began in the spring of 2021. During the planning phase, we’re looking at the existing infrastructure and the future needs of Downtown Guelph to determine what needs updating..

As part of the planning work, we initiated two Municipal Class Environment Assessments (EAs). Environmental assessments involve collaborating with the community to support the planning and decision-making for large-scale projects. These EAs looked at various options for traffic flow, pedestrian areas and public spaces in Downtown streets, and the bridge and dam structures along Macdonell.

In February 2024, City Council approved the Wyndham Street North cross-section and St. George’s Square reconstruction, which came from the original Wyndham EA. The Macdonell and Allan Dam structures EA will be brought to Council for consideration in early 2025, as this work is still being completed.

We have started to work on the final design of the first phase of construction for Downtown Infrastructure Renewal and will finalize that design in 2025. Construction will start in 2026.

The overall design and construction process for this infrastructure renewal is likely to last over the next few decades.

Project study area showing the river, London road, Dublin St N. and the train tracks as the main boundaries for the first phase of engagement, with a future consideration indicated blow the tracks as far as York roadProject study area



Engagement opportunities

St. George's Square design options:

We're back to share two design options informed by ideas and comments we heard throughout 2024 at our community pop up events and online activities. We've developed a special site to take you through the history of St. George's square and how we got to these two designs, then we share the designs, how we expect the community might use them and present possible fixtures that could be included.

Share your preferences and comments with our design team right inside the design discovery site. We will use community feedback to refine a preferred design to share back in March.

Join us for a Construction Café

On the third Thursday of every month, or project team will be at a different downtown café to meet with downtown businesses, hear your questions and share information. Drop in to have a chat in the morning. Coffee's on us!

The at the February 20 Construction Café, we will be joined by the designers working on St. George's square. Join them in small group conversations about the presented designs and share your feedback with them directly while overlooking the space from the comfort and warmth of Capistrano.

Check out the 'More Information' section below to find out more about Construction Cafés and the upcoming schedule.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

Wyndham Street N. preliminary design: Based on the earlier work done to determine the travel lanes and pedestrian areas for Wyndham North, we'll share a design that is 60% detailed to show specific elements such as pedestrian crossings, parking and patio spaces. Before we go any further with the design, we want to hear from you to make sure downtown's main street will make us proud for generations to come. This deign will be presented along with the proposed final design for St. George's Square for comment.

  • Online March 25 to April 23
  • In person March 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall (1 Carden St.)

More engagement dates and announcements coming soon!


Past Engagement and how the project has progressed

A summary of past engagement activities and what we heard from 2022 until our most recent phase of engagement can be found in the “Documents” panel on the right-hand side of this page, including:

How to reach us:

We're always here to answer your questions. Please reach out any time at mydowntown@guelph.ca. We'll get back to you within a few business days.

Sign up to follow the project for regular updates. Simply subscribe using the "stay informed" link in the upper right corner of this page.

  • Construction Cafés

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    Hey Downtown Businesses. We want to connect with you more often!

    Every third Thursday of the month, our project team will be at a different Downtown Cafe from 9 'til 11 a.m.

    Drop by to meet us, ask your questions, and share your ideas as we work toward 2026 when shovels go in the ground on Wyndham street.

    The coffee is on us!

    Upcoming Cafe schedule:

    • UP NEXT February 20, 2025 - Capistrano (St. Georges Square, 42 Wyndham St N) - The Square's designers will be joining us!
    • March 20, 2025 - Sunday Blooms (214 Woolwich St N)
    • April 17, 2025 (Location TBD)
    • May 15, 2025 (Location TBD)
    • More dates will be announced for 2025

    If the construction café schedule doesn't work for you, that's ok. Contact us and let us know you are interested in chatting. We will come to you.

    Please reach out any time at mydowntown@guelph.ca.

  • Budget Watch

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    supporting image

    The budget to begin the planning phase was approved as part of the 2019 budget process, with further budgeting to continue this work included in the 2021 and 2022/23 budgets

    Throughout the planning phase information will come together which will help to determine the budget needs and revenue opportunities for the construction phase to be considered in each multi-year budget throughout the project lifecycle. The draft budget for 2024-2027 contains design and construction costs for the first phase of the project as well as a ten year forecast for future project expenses. During the 2025 budget confirmation process, the enhanced level of service for streetscape fixtures and features were added to ensure Wyndham Street N. will meet the needs of our community for years to come.

Page last updated: 13 Feb 2025, 01:56 PM