OLG funds will help pay for Victoria Avenue streetscape improvements

NIAGARA FALLS — The City will dip into reserves funded by revenue from its casino hosting agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to provide additional funds for the first phase of streetscape improvements on Victoria Avenue.

At the April 26 city council meeting, Rankin Construction was chosen to handle the work after coming in with a low bid of $3,084,307 — excluding HST.

An additional $824,926 is required to address “costs incurred for the needed underground infrastructure improvements as well as expenses to meet project scope and timeline constraints,” according to municipal works department report.

Those costs will cover sewer improvements.

The Victoria Centre BIA has committed $600,000 toward the cost of phase one of the project, which will see improvements made along Victoria Avenue from Hunter Street to Centre Street — with work to be done this spring prior to the start of the tourist season — and along Victoria from Hwy. 420 to Hunter in the fall.

Some of the improvements under the plan include:

• Accessible decorative sidewalks
• Street furniture, including benches, waste receptacles, bike racks and planters
• Trees and landscaping
• Gateway features and wayfinding
• Attraction and performance space on the Victoria promenade
• Resurfacing of roadways with curbs and gutters
• Public washrooms

Council approved funding of $3,071,000 for the project back in January.

 Original Article