Lakeshore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Project

Digital Main Street

The Digital Transformation Grant provides $2,500 to each qualifying business to purchase and adopt digital tools and technologies. There are only 2,000 one-time grants, apply now on the Digital Main Street website.

The Digital Service Squad is a free resource for businesses, helping build or enhance an online presence, promote products/services and sell online. There is no fee for this service. Even if a business is not interested in the Digital Transformation Grant, they can take advantage of this free service.

• Grant program handout (pdf)
• Grant program FAQ (pdf)

Social Media for Small Business: Oakville Workshop

Social media can be a very powerful tool for business growth. In this fun and interactive workshop, we’ll look at the basics of today’s popular social media channels and decide which are right for you. Register

When: Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 8 a.m.–11 a.m.
Where: The Project Office, 193 Church Street, Oakville, ON L6J 5E6

Maximizing Your Online Advertising & Digital Marketing Budget: Oakville Workshop

Savvy businesses are using bootstrap digital marketing techniques to amplify their message online. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn the tricks and tools needed to market your business effectively on a shoestring budget. Register

When: Wednesday, February 12, 2020 from 8 a.m.–11 a.m.
Where: The Project Office, 193 Church Street, Oakville, ON L6J 5E6

Skip the Dishes

Building on the popularity of restaurant food delivery, a working partnership has been established with Canada's own Skip the Dishes. Downtown Oakville restaurants will have the opportunity to sign on with this independent service without having to pay the restaurant fee. Skip the Dishes will be advertising extensively throughout the construction period.

If your restaurant is interested in participating in this service, please contact Jenn Bada at jenn.bada@skipthedishes.ca or 416-271-4616 and let her know you are part of the "Downtown Oakville Program".

During the Lakeshore Road reconstruction, Council has approved a parking program to help attract customers and visitors to downtown Oakville.

First hour free parking with Honk

Use the promo code DOWNTOWN in the Honk Mobile app to get your first hour of parking free at a metered space or in a municipal parking lot in downtown Oakville.

Free weekend parking

Parking at a metered space or in a municipal parking lot has always been free on Sundays and holidays. During the reconstruction, parking at a metered space or in a municipal parking lot will also be free on Saturdays.

New municipal parking lot F

The former fire station lot at the corner of Randall Street and Navy Street has been converted into a temporary parking lot to provide more parking options for visitors, customers and employees in downtown Oakville.

More on-street parking spaces

When Lakeshore Road is closed for construction, the side streets in the immediate blocks become temporary dead end streets. These streets will be converted to create more parking spaces by providing perpendicular parking along one side of the street. This will create more parking spaces for convenient access to the stores, restaurants and businesses near the road closure.

Ongoing parking programs

Parking will continue to be provided for visitors, customers and employees throughout downtown Oakville during the Lakeshore Road reconstruction project. Parking at the on-street metered spaces and in the municipal parking lots is free after 6 p.m. and all day on Sundays and holidays.

More information

• The parking programs are available in downtown Oakville during the Lakeshore Road reconstruction project
• Vehicles are prohibited from parking contrary to parking regulations
• Vehicles must comply with the maximum parking durations on the street or in the lot
• The Parkade at 300 Church Street is excluded from these parking programs
• The 20-minute quick stop metered parking spaces are excluded from the first hour free parking program
• Employees of the downtown businesses should continue to leave the closest and most convenient parking spaces available for their customers and clients

How do I pay with my phone?

With the free Honk Mobile app, you can easily search, pay for and top up parking from a phone, tablet or computer. This payment option is easy and quick to use so you can get to where you want to go!

Set up is simple:

1. Visit honkmobile.com to download the app from Apple Store and Google Play
2. Set up account including vehicle and payment information
3. Choose "zone" or location to park (available on machine or meter or on app)
4. Choose time needed to park
5. Enter promo code DOWNTOWN to get your first hour free
6. Extend time up to maximum allowed in location

How do I get the free first hour of parking?

Use the Honk Mobile app and enter promo code DOWNTOWN to get your first hour of parking free at a metered space or in a municipal parking lot in downtown Oakville. This promotion is not available at the Church Street parkade or at the 20-minute quick stop meters.

Can I still pay for parking at the meter?

You can make payment at the meter, however the free first hour is only available through the Honk Mobile app.

If I forget to use the Honk promo code, can I get a credit for next time I visit downtown Oakville?

The first hour free promotion is available at the time of purchase only. A credit cannot be provided.

Where can I park for free on Saturdays?

During the Lakeshore Road reconstruction project, parking is free on Saturdays at metered spaces and in municipal parking lots in downtown Oakville. This promotion is not available at the Church Street parkade.

If I forgot that parking was free on Saturday and paid at the meter, can I get a refund or credit?

The free Saturday parking is only available at the time you park. Refunds and credits are not provided.

Can I park all day on a Saturday without paying?

Parking restrictions detailing how long you can park are posted on the meters or lot signs. All-day parking is limited to certain locations and lots. Visit the the parking page for more details.

How do these parking programs affect my monthly-prepaid parking permit?

The monthly-prepaid parking permits will continue during the Lakeshore Road reconstruction project. Employees of the downtown businesses should continue to leave the closest and most convenient parking spaces available for their customers and clients.

Will there be parking enforcement in downtown Oakville during the reconstruction project?

Parking regulations will continue to be enforced in downtown Oakville.

Tree removal along Lakeshore Road

Trees have been removed as part of the Lakeshore Road Reconstruction project and will be replaced using a best practice technique called silva cells to ensure replacement trees are healthy and long lasting. A silva cell is a modular building block for containing unlimited amounts of healthy soil beneath paving while supporting traffic loads and accommodating surrounding utilities.

The silva cells are filled with high quality uncompacted soil to grow trees to maturity, allowing the tree roots to grow laterally and offers a much larger area for growth. This will help the trees to grow to maturity and eliminate the constant 7-10 year rotation that has been occurring on many of the street trees in the downtown area.

Can the trees be transplanted?

An extensive arborist study on these trees was completed in August 2018. The trees were not good candidates for transplanting because their shape and growth indicate that they were stressed.The overall condition of the trees ranged between fair and poor. Some signs of decline and defects were attributed to their restricted root environment. Their ‘girdling’ roots grew around the base of the tree, due to the inability to extend outwards. As well, the trees were planted in among a number of utilities, electrical vaults making the transplanting process extremely difficult.

Background

With Lakeshore Road East coming to the end of its lifespan and needing a major reconstruction, the town undertook extensive research and public consultation to identify broader opportunities to improve traffic, beautify streets and improve pedestrian/cycle ways in the downtown.

In April 2018, Council approved the final design for the Lakeshore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Project. Reconstruction will be done in two phases: Phase 1 in 2019 (spring to fall) between Navy and Dunn streets, and phase 2 in 2020 (spring to fall) between Dunn and Allan streets.

The Downtown Transportation and Streetscape Study (DTS) was approved by Council in April 2015 which includes the Lakeshore Bridge Rehabilitation, the Two-Way Street Conversion, and the Lakeshore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Project. The DTS is part of the overall Downtown Plan.

September 10, 2018

Town Council endorses the Downtown Mitigation Strategy and gives direction for free parking on Saturdays, running from April 2019 to November 2020. Town staff are directed to implement the mitigation initiatives, subject to budget approval. Review the September 20, 2018, Planning and Development Council staff report.

April 10, 2018

Town Council approves final streetscape plan for Lakeshore Road Streetscape and Reconstruction Project. Council also receives information about the mitigation initiatives that are planned at the present time, wayfinding initiatives planned for downtown during and after construction.

2016 Public Consultation

• Public meetings were held on March 1 and June 15, 2016 to get feedback on contemporary design palettes. Comments were also collected online from February 24 to April 1, 2016.
  • Review the material that was presented at public meeting #1 (pdf)
  • Review a copy of the Lakeshore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Consultation Summary (pdf)
• When specific contemporary furniture pieces were presented to the public in March and June 2016 there was significant concern and opposition about the contemporary theme choice for the streetlights, benches, bike rings and bollards
• In July 2016, Council passed a motion directing staff to recommence a public engagement process in the fall 2016 to gather more public input on the three style options — traditional, contemporary and classic for the streetlights, benches, bike rings and bollards
• Staff began incorporating the garbage/recycling stations as well as the granite pavers and curbs into the streetscape design as presented to the public this past March and June and approved by Council in July 2016.
• In September 2016, the town held a number of public engagement opportunities to find out what style of streetscape furniture — traditional, contemporary or classic — residents and businesses would like to see used in downtown Oakville. Each style was designed to complement the downtown heritage district.
• On October 3, 2016, Council approved a traditional furniture style for downtown Oakville. Review the staff report.
• Between December 5 and 23, 2016, the town went out for public consultation about what specific furniture pieces, lighting temperature, and bridge railing residents and businesses liked best for Downtown Oakville. The town provided two options for each piece of streetscape furniture; two types of lighting (LED fixture/bulbs), and three bridge railing options. Two choices of furnishing colour that supported a traditional theme - graphite and moss green - were also provided.
• On February 13, 2017, Council approved the bridge railing, the lighting and the furniture selections (streetlight poles, benches, bollards, bike rings) for downtown Oakville. Review the February 13, 2017 staff report for details

2015 Public Consultation

• Following extensive public consultation through the Downtown Transportation and Streetscape Study (DTS), a contemporary theme was chosen in 2015 over traditional and classical, to complement the historic buildings in the streetscape yet remain a reflection of the current time.
• Desire to maximize a flexible (curbless) design of the Lakeshore Road East configuration was also discussed at these meetings as a topic for consideration.