It was one of the easier decisions made by council on Tuesday night at Shire Hall.
Prince Edward County council approved a motion to receive over $59,000 in funding from OMAFRA for the Main Street Revitalization Initiative.
The funds will be split six ways, with $10,000 going to the five largest communities in Prince Edward County (Picton, Bloomfield, Wellington, Consecon and Rossmore) and the remaining $9,527.43 going to the Countywide plan.
The funds will go towards items set out in each community’s action plan such as façade improvements, improved parking, improved way finding signage, cycling racks, shop local initiatives, support and adaptive use of heritage buildings and downtown beautification (flower boxes, banners, et cetera).
According to the Picton action plan, some items of note are promoting the regeneration and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, establishing downtown Picton as a community hub, making Picton more pedestrian friendly, promoting a cycle friendly downtown and making the village a year-round destination.
Bloomfield’s action plan aims to develop that community as the “meeting place” of Prince Edward County by improving wayfinding signage, exploring the opportunity for public transit opportunities, celebrating Bloomfield’s heritage and to create a shop local campaign.
Wellington’s action plan seeks traffic calming measures, improved parking, the showcasing of local art and culture, improved beautification and amenities, and an improved bicycle network.
The Consecon action plan contains items like promoting the regeneration and reuse of buildings and vacant lands, promoting local history and heritage within the downtown and building awareness around Consecon’s history, and enhancing landscaping and the park green space incorporated with the downtown.
Rossmore’s action plan seeks the adoption of a streetscape and façade design guide, improving the downtown aesthetic through banners, flower baskets, advocating for traffic calming measures and seeing improvements with the boating infrastructure and park area.
The funding must be spent by March 2020.
