Proposal for Willow Lane community space stalled

A local business owner says he is becoming increasingly frustrated by town councils lack of action to help rejuvenate the downtown.

Rob Lyon, owner of a graphic design studio and gallery on Main Street in Sackville, says hes disappointed council recently shot down a proposed project that he believes would have invigorated a section of the downtown core.

The Willow Lane proposal would have seen the alleyway between the Royal Bank and former Stedmans building closed off to traffic and converted into a community space that would have included benches, flower boxes and a walkway.

Its a small project that hopefully would have spawned other small projects within the downtown, says Lyon.

He notes he is particularly disappointed over councils decision because theres been so much discussion over revitalizing the downtown in the past few years but no concrete action.

It is so much more than the cancellation of the alleyway project, he insists. This is all just another symptom of the problems downtown.

Several committees have been set up in the last three years to explore downtown revitalization but Lyon says he thinks the time has come to follow through on those ideas.

The time for studies and committees and consultant fees are over. It is time to start making physical changes to the infrastructure, he says. It is time to be progressive and think outside the box. Be creative. Downtown business is beyond critical. The canary died a few years ago.

Coun. Ron Aiken, liaison councillor for the community economic development department, says the proposal was nixed because of the anticipated cost.

I just grossly underestimated what it was going to cost, Aiken says of the initial estimates. We thought it was going to be doable for six or seven thousand and it was getting up over $40,000. It turned out to be more complicated than we thought so we decided not to go ahead with it.

He says he would still like to see something done about the traffic situation in the alley, where cars park for a few minutes to do their banking business and then drive on through, sometimes at unsafe speeds.

I think the traffic problem there is still something we have to deal with. But that was going to be a very expensive way to deal with it, he says. I just didnt think we could justify ittheres other public spaces around.

Lyon, however, says he is astounded to hear the project was being estimated at over $40,000, considering the walkway was to be created from leftover planks from the Waterfowl Park and the only other costs would have been for the plants, flowers, benches and labours.

I am disappointed because this was a small project that would have beautified a part of downtown that is a disaster waiting to happen. Someday somebody is going to be injured in this area. And I would much rather hear people sitting there having lunch, talking and laughing, than tires squealing by.

Lyon, whose gallery is situated next door to the alleyway in the former Stedmans building at 97 Main Street, says he came up with the Willow Lane commons concept last fall and suggested the idea to a town employee. The idea was well received and he was asked to put his idea on paper. He subsequently spent a great deal of time following up on his ideas, which he presented to the downtown revitalization committee and council.

He says everyone seemed to be on board with the concept, including the town councillors, and it was agreed money for the project would come through the Environmental Trust Fund and the Communities in Bloom funding.

So he admits he was surprised to learn recently that the project had been shelved, without even being informed of the decision.

I am so frustrated by the lack of direction towards business and downtown development. Look at the past few years and how many businesses we have lost and I know of a few more that will be gone before the end of the year

He says he didnt propose the Willow Lane project simply to help his own business but to help create an atmosphere that would bring more people downtown, expanding upon the already-existing outdoor café on Bridge Street.

Lyon says he realizes its not the councillors responsibility to create or bring new businesses into town; but he says it is their job to create the necessary infrastructure and a positive climate to attract retailers and help them thrive.

If the mayor and council want to leave a legacy of their time in office, how about I saved the downtown on my watch. I think that would be a lot better than an abandoned track with grass growing up through it, he says.