After nearly two decades of little change, Downtown Brampton may finally be turning the corner from being a sleepy town centre to becoming the proper hub for a city of nearly 800,000.
The Riverwalk, an ambitious plan to enhance flood protection from nearby Etobicoke Creek and create new public space, will break ground later this year. The extension of the Hurontario LRT into Downtown Brampton, by way of a deep-mined tunnel, was approved and funded by the provincial and federal governments. There will also be a new transportation hub to accommodate additional tracks at Brampton GO Station and support Brampton Transit ridership growth. City of Brampton is also hoping to get started on a new Centre for Innovation at the corner of Nelson and George Streets; it will contain a new central library as well as space for Toronto Metropolitan University and Rogers.
Private sector development is also waking up. The first of a new wave of mixed-use high-rise developments, Rose Garden Residences, has started construction.
These are exciting times for Brampton. The city, looking to attract more people to the downtown core, is planning to improve both Ken Willians Square, in front of City Hall, and Garden Square, in front of the Rose Theatre. The municipal government is looking for feedback on four proposed designs for the two square.
For Urban Toronto, I wrote more about Brampton’s plans to rejuvenate its downtown public realm.
Sean Marshall 