Insights to Better Our City — Part 1
April 21, 2026
Insights to Better Our City — Part 1
One of our most significant opportunities lies in reclaiming a phrase that should be at the heart of our local identity: the “downtown waterfront.” It is easy to forget that St. Catharines was founded on the banks of the Twelve Mile River. This waterway is our own version of the Nile—the lifeblood that established our community’s roots. In modern urban development, a city’s connection to water is its greatest asset for recreation, tourism, and mental well-being. By reintroducing the waterfront into our daily vocabulary and our long-term planning, we begin the vital work of restoring our geographic soul.
St. Catharines Twelve Mile River
1. Reclaim and Reimagine the Waterfront Corridor
On the Southside, near the Burgoyne Bridge, we should remove the firefighter tower and dedicate this land to a public park, inviting developers to submit unique proposals for integrating both green space and modern design. On the Northside, we can restore Oakhill Park to its original garden glory with gooseneck lighting and sand at the base near Sally McGarr. This area offers the best view of the river and is the perfect location for a downtown beach, complete with beach volleyball and community recreation.
Toronto’s Downtown Beach
2. Modernizing West End Zoning for Smart Growth
It is time for a strategic review of the Greenbelt zoning in the West End. We need our local leadership and MP to pressure the province to adjust the boundary to Third Ave. Much of this land has transitioned from active investment-heavy farming to simple cash crops, leaving sites like the old driving range desolate. With established institutions like the Niagara Health St. Catharines Site and Pathstone Mental Health already anchored here, the current “rural” designation feels out of step with the reality of the landscape. While protecting our natural heritage is vital, we must also allow for sensible urban expansion that reflects how the West End has actually evolved.
3. Revitalizing Downtown: From Parking Lots to Market Squares
We should look at the expropriation of the St. Paul Street parking lot at Helliwell’s Lane. Currently an underutilized space in the heart of our city, this lot has the potential to become a vibrant cultural hub—our own version of Ottawa’s Byward Market. By relocating the St. Catharines Farmers’ Market to this central location, we create a magnet for foot traffic that makes downtown truly walkable. This move would also unlock the potential for a “super cool” adaptive reuse project at the current market site and the historic Old County Courthouse, turning these heritage assets into mixed-use spaces that breathe new life into the urban core.
Parking Lot On St. Paul Street And Helliwell’s Lane, St Catharines
4. Expanding Active Transportation: A Bike-Friendly Blueprint
To truly transition into a modern urban center, St. Catharines must commit to being more bike-friendly. We should start by creating highvisibility green-painted bike lanes beginning at City Hall and expanding outward into the residential corridors. By establishing a protected cycling network in the heart of the city, we aren’t just adding infrastructure; we are making a bold statement about our commitment to sustainable transit and safe streets. This type of connectivity is exactly what modern homebuyers are looking for when choosing a vibrant, accessible neighborhood.
5. The Fairview Mall Master Plan: Balancing Density with Heritage
As we look at the redevelopment of the old golf course lands, we must commit to a master plan that preserves 60% green space. This is a rare opportunity to alleviate traffic congestion in the Fairview Mall area by investigating a new road alignment through to Scott Street. Beyond traffic flow, this project offers a chance to rescue a piece of our history. The Historic Welland Canal Lock beside the Scott Street plaza is currently hidden behind liability fencing; redesigning this area allows us to preserve the derelict Third Canal and turn it into a curated heritage feature. It’s time we stopped hiding our history and started building it into our future.
Remnants Of St. Catharines’ Historical Lock On The 3rd Welland Canal Site
6. Expanding Active Transportation: A Bike-Friendly Blueprint
Hartzel Road represents one of the greatest opportunities for urban intensification in our city. We should be aggressively encouraging mixeduse zoning that allows for residential units above existing commercial storefronts. This corridor is starving for the kind of vibrancy that comes when people live, work, and shop in the same space. By transitioning Hartzel Road into a true residential-commercial hybrid, we can create much-needed housing while supporting the local businesses that call this area home.
7. Enhancing Civic Pride: Cleaner Streets and Accountable Retail
The aesthetic health of our neighborhoods directly impacts property values and community morale. We need to implement a bylaw that prevents grocery carts from leaving retail properties; currently, areas like Geneva Street and the student housing pockets near the Pen Centre are suffering from this neglect. By holding stores accountable for their equipment, we can clean up our major transit corridors and restore the professional, cared-for look that our residents deserve.
8. Embracing the Season: A Landmark Outdoor Skating Rink
It’s time for St. Catharines to fully embrace our northern identity by creating a premier outdoor skating rink. Currently, our city lacks a public skating experience comparable to the Niagara Parks or the Gretzky Centre. It is a missed opportunity for community connection. Placing a permanent outdoor rink in Montebello Park would transform our historic downtown core into a winter destination, bringing families and foot traffic back to the center of the city during the colder months.
Montebello Park, St. Catharines, Sitting Empty In Winter
9. Grow the GO—and our City!
The GO Train is here, but the 2.5-hour commute is still too long and the schedule is too rigid for the modern professional. We need more frequent express service to Toronto that is affordable enough to keep cars off the QEW. This will encourage more people to choose the lifestyle perks of living in Niagara. We also need to “sell the air” at the station—utilizing air rights for high-density mixed-use development similar to the projects at James and Wellington. This keeps public parking intact while accelerating station use. Finally, let’s get e-scooters integrated from the station through downtown and up to Brock University to solve the “last mile” of the commute.
Bird Scooters Would Be A Great Way To Get To And From Go Train
10. Eliminate Empty Storefronts in the Downtown Core
We need to keep the momentum going from the Performing Arts Centre and Meridian Centre developments by minimizing street-level vacancies. Let’s expand on grants and incentives, similar to the “Win This Space” competition by the St. Catharines Downtown Association, to attract innovative startups. A fantastic model is the “Renew Newcastle” program in Australia; they transformed a post-industrial city into a Lonely Planet top destination by filling empty shops with creative micro-businesses. St. Paul Street is the heart of our city—let’s make sure every window reflects that energy.
Leave a comment