Lincoln, ON – (September 9, 2022) – The Town of Lincoln, in partnership with Niagara Region and through extensive community consultation, has developed the Ontario Street Urban Design Vision & Streetscape Master Plan, representing the collective vision for growth and urban design along Ontario Street (Regional Road 18) in Lincoln. The Master Plan was presented to the Town’s Committee of the Whole on September 7 and will be shared at the Region’s Planning and Economic Development Committee on September 14, 2022.
Lincoln is in a unique position within Niagara region and will absorb the growth mandated by the Province of Ontario within Lincoln’s urban boundary, which is restricted from expansion by the Greenbelt Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan. This means that growth will need to be accommodated within the existing built-up areas, such as in Beamsville through intensification and infill.
As a primary linkage between the Queen Elizabeth Way into Beamsville and the downtown area, Ontario Street requires a long-term strategy to not only accommodate growth and a range of land uses, but also to develop a cohesive and attractive streetscape identity that welcomes visitors and appeals to residents. The location of the future GO station within the study area is another important factor. The streetscape design will support all modes of travel and connections to higher order transit.
“Ontario Street is a principal corridor in Lincoln and one of the gateways into our community. As such, the vision for this area will have significant impacts on both residents and visitors for decades to come,” said Town of Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton. “In Lincoln, we are in the business of building complete communities – which means we are taking into consideration the social, economic, and infrastructure needs of our community while protecting and enhancing the character and identity of the community.”
“This project is one of the ways we are proactively planning for growth in Lincoln,” said Ward 2 Councillor and Chair of Planning and Development Committee Tony Brunet. “The Ontario Street Urban Design Vision & Streetscape Master Plan establishes the blueprint for active transportation connections, healthy and vibrant public realms and appropriate transitions between new and existing development.”
“The Master Plan is a result of the collaboration and input of our partners, stakeholders and community members over the last year, and we are very pleased at the high level of interest and engagement in this project,” said the Town’s Chief Administrative Officer Michael Kirkopoulos. “We heard many perspectives – from improved vibrancy and enhanced retail/restaurant offerings, to increased connectivity and traffic management, and also appropriate transitions of building heights and land uses. This is a long-term plan that will take time to realize and will require that we start planning now.”
The Town and Region collaborated to develop a collective vision for the Ontario Street corridor, through a variety of touchpoints including in-person, digital and traditional outreach methods,. Two public open houses, and online survey and dedicated page on the Town’s Speak Up Lincoln public engagement site encouraged community engagement and discourse on this project. The Ontario Street page on Speak Up Lincoln is one of the top five performing pages on the site in terms of both participation and page visits.
For more information about the Ontario Street visioning project, including the Master Plan, background documents, consultation summary visit Speak Up Lincoln. Urban design guidelines are currently being finalized and will be shared on this website in the coming weeks.
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For media inquiries, contact:
Liliana Busnello
Manager of Corporate Communications
Town of Lincoln
Direct: 905-563-2799 ext. 230
Tel: 905-563-8205