ELORA – Improvements are coming to a popular downtown green space with help from a local benefactor.
Approved at a Centre Wellington council meeting Monday afternoon, Kat Florence Canada has entered a donation agreement with the township to fund upgrades at the Elora Green Space at 25 Mill Street West to address staff-identified safety concerns on-site not included in the 2024 budget.
Staff said the work will be performed in coordination with planned improvements for Francis Lane, which is owned by Kat Florence and anticipated to "increase the foot traffic" to the nearby green space.
Included in the upgrades is the creation of a safer entrance from Francis Lane with stone steps to match, planting a Yew row to eliminate traffic to the green space from the Elora Gorge Cinema and installing oversized flagstone, Muskoka chairs and an additional garbage bin at the Francis Lane entrance.
Filling in the site's existing pond and removing two Norway Maple trees are also planned with the support of Neighbourwoods and Tree Trust.
"Recognizing that the current informal entrance is used by pedestrians can be hazardous given the slope and/or grass conditions, wet or slippery, the donor and township are desirous of making this a safer access point," said a staff report on the project. "The donor has generously donated the funds to address not only the Francis Lane access concern but also the other safety concerns within the park."
Staff said each piece of work is estimated to create a two-week interruption to that specific area of the green space, which will be fenced from public access while work is being performed.
Step and garbage bin installation, pond removal, lawn raising and Yew plantings are scheduled for this fall while flagstone installation and tree removal are planned for early March 2025.
The project is anticipated to cost $37,364, not including HST in donor funding with an additional $3,000 to come from the township's Urban Forestry Program for tree removal and stump grinding.
Creo Concepts has been suggested for the work as they are already performing the Francis Lane improvements.
Suncor Energy Products Partnership is the property owner of the Elora Green Space and has provided written consent for the work to proceed.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program
