Insights to Better Our City — Part 2
April 21, 2026
Insights to Better Our City — Part 2
Building a better city is an ongoing conversation, not a one-time list. I’ve been inspired to follow UP on our previous ‘Insights to Better Our City’ series to see how these visions are evolving in today’s landscape. In Part 2, we shift our focus toward the “fun” and cultural fabric of our community—from reimagining our underpasses with public art to unlocking the potential of our waterways and food scene. Here is how we can continue to give our all to the city we call home.
Geneva Street Underpass
St. Catharines has made great strides in public art, but the Geneva Street QEW underpass remains a stark reminder of our “concrete jungle” past. This high-traffic gateway should be a curated experience rather than a target for random graffiti. By being proactive and hiring professional muralists to transform these walls—paired with upgraded architectural lighting—we can turn a neglected underpass into a vibrant welcome mat for our downtown. It’s an investment in urban beautification that signals a city that cares about its first impressions.
Potential of Local Food Trucks
2. Unleash the Potential of Local Food Trucks
Food trucks are more than just mobile kitchens; they are the ultimate entrepreneurial incubators. We’ve seen this firsthand with local success stories like Dispatch Restaurant, which grew from its roots as El Gastronomo. However, our current licensing still feels restrictive, often cornering these vendors into farmers’ markets rather than letting them thrive in our parks. We need to simplify the process and open up opportunities for vendors at high-traffic destinations like Sunset Beach, Lakeside Park, and Montebello Park. By making it easier for these startups to obtain street licenses, we create a more vibrant culinary scene and a better experience for residents—there’s nothing quite like a summer picnic in the park supported by a great local vendor.
Building on the momentum of past regional investments, we have a massive opportunity to market the 406 highway as a premier Economic Corridor. By modeling this stretch after the successful public/private sponsorship opportunities seen along Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, we can create a sophisticated entrance into the St. Catharines downtown. Strategic signage and landscaping partnerships would not only generate revenue for the city but also build a high-level “buzz” that signals to investors and professionals that they are entering a thriving financial and innovation hub.
406 as Niagara’s Economic Corridor
With several high-density condo developments now a reality in Port Dalhousie, the “parking nightmare” we anticipated has arrived. However, a brilliant opportunity remains. Now that the city has more jurisdiction over the canal waterway, we have the prerogative to build what should have been done decades ago: a pedestrian and cyclist bridge to the east side of the canal. This makes sense on every level. It creates a direct link for North-End residents to access the core without the long detour via Lakeport Road. More importantly, it unlocks access to over 250 existing spots and additional city parking at the marina. By utilizing the space near the sanitization plant for potential parking expansion and bridging the gap to the village, we can preserve the charm of Port Dalhousie while supporting its modern urban growth. It’s time to move on this vision and finally connect our waterfront.
Port Dalhousie
Welland’s Float Fest has proven to be a massive success, and it’s time St. Catharines followed suit. Our city was founded on the Twelve Mile Creek, yet for most residents, it remains an untapped resource for recreation. We need to create a sanctioned “Float Fest” where we can push off near Welland Vale or Henley Island and drift into Port Dalhousie’s Rennie Park. Aligning this with a major local event, like our annual summer festivals, would be the ultimate way to celebrate our history while making the most of our incredible landscape. Let’s get off the shore and into the water!
While the regional signage in Thorold looks great, we need something that belongs specifically to our city. We deserve an iconic, “Instagrammable” St. Catharines sign that residents can interact with daily. Placing a landmark installation in a high-visibility spot like Montebello Park would create a massive sense of community pride and provide a perfect backdrop for families and visitors to share their love for the Garden City online. It’s a simple way to boost our local tourism and give people a dedicated place to celebrate their roots.
Montebello Park, St. Catharines, landmark installation
We need to get serious about our municipal voter turnout, which has historically hovered around a disappointing 33-34%. It is time to explore a compulsory voting model, similar to Australia, to ensure our local government truly reflects the will of the entire community. Whether it’s a small incentive—or a modest $20 addition to property taxes for non-voters—we need a mechanism that encourages every resident to have their say. Furthermore, in 2026, there is no reason we shouldn’t have secure, online voting options to make the process as seamless as possible. If we want a better city, we need everyone to participate in building it.
While the rainbow crosswalks were a great start, we shouldn’t stop there. We have an opportunity to turn every major intersection in the downtown core into a piece of public art. Imagine piano-key crosswalks near the Performing Arts Centre, hockey-rink designs near the Meridian Centre, or even abstract art and words of positivity at busy corners. By allowing residents to submit proposals to the Niagara Artists Centre or a local arts council, we can create a rotating gallery right on our streets. This “art-ification” isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a proven way to improve pedestrian safety by making crossings more visible. Over time, our downtown becomes a walking museum—a unique destination that costs very little but leaves a massive impression on everyone who visits.
Lake Street and Queen Street Crosswalk
To truly make our green spaces “vibrant,” we need to add more opportunities for spontaneous play and connection. Installing permanent concrete ping pong tables at locations like Lakeside Park, Montebello Park, and our downtown hubs is a low-cost, high-reward strategy. These installations are virtually indestructible and provide a year-round reason for people of all backgrounds to mingle. Whether it’s a quick game between office hours downtown or a family match by the lake, it’s these small additions that turn a simple park into a true community living room. It’s a “win-win” for urban social health and makes our public spaces feel more intentional and alive.
While the Pen Centre team are doing a bang UP job adapting to the fast pace change happening in the retail sector, retail development in North America isn’t getting built anymore with a residential component above it to help service the business that are there. Come St. Patrick’s day we will be hearing again about the need to control single-family student houses. Alternatively, those “loft” apartments are so far out, that they are a convenience to no one. The Mall has the Brock bullet for student housing; the grocery stores, the parking and the amenities! Don’t like the word students? Then perhaps condos. The city should encourage this type of development and look at changing their zonings on all strip plazas, malls, hotels, motels and just see what presents itself. Let’s open UP our zonings to the possibilities!
Lake Street and Queen Street Crosswalk
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