The Town of South Bruce Peninsula has been successful in securing government funding for a downtown project.
In a release, the town says their application for Rural Economic Development or RED funding was approved, and the money will go toward the Downtown Wiarton Streetscape project. The grant was approved for just over $205,000 and is coming through the RED program run by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affair's Strategic Infrastructure Stream. The stream is meant to "support projects that advance economic development investment opportunities in Rural Ontario."
South Bruce Peninsula will use the funding to implement a streetscaping plan to beautify the downtown core of Wiarton. That will include the installation of lighting, landscaping and trees, bike infrastructure, public wifi, way-finding signage and street furniture.
“We thank the Ministry for investing in Downtown Wiarton, the businesses have endured a lot. This funding will allow the Town to create more comfortable outdoor gathering spaces that will increase pedestrian traffic which will hopefully assist local business in their Covid-19 recovery” says Mayor Janice Jackson.
“Streetscaping changes the pattern of economic activity and stimulates new investment, it will also increase visitors which will in turn increase visitor spending” adds Danielle Edwards, Manager of Economic Development and Communications.