Empire Communities investing $18 million to $21 million in Dain City
February 10, 2021
Empire Communities investing $18 million to $21 million in Dain City
Empire Communities will rebuild and realign Canal Bank Street leading into Dain City as part of $18 million to $21 million in improvements it will carry out before building nearly 2,200 homes in the area. DAVE JOHNSON / TORSTAR
Empire Communities is investing between $18 million and $21 million into the city of Welland.
All of it in Dain City — before the company builds its first of nearly 2,200 homes in the area.
The investment will go to a new $2.75-million multi-court sports park at Welland International Flatwater Centre, plus $500,000 in naming rights for 10 years.
Empire will put $6.3-million into the realignment and widening of about 1.5 kilometres of Canal Bank Street. It will spend $4.3 million on the urbanization of about a kilometre of Forks Road.
City of Welland taxpayers won’t be on the hook for any improvements, said Steven Armstrong, principal of Armstrong Planning and Project Management.
Armstrong said the company will invest $5 million into a new Forks Road bridge, and that design work on the span is about 30 per cent complete.
The city has set aside $5 million of its own for the new bridge, which will reuse piers from the former 88-year-old lift bridge.
“The piers were inspected last year … core samples showed they were suitable for reuse. It’s great, a huge cost saving for us,” said Armstrong, adding the new bridge should be open by spring 2024.
He told Ward 6 Coun. Bonnie Fokkens a public information meeting could occur when the bridge design is at a more advanced stage.
It will be a two-lane bridge with bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides, and Empire will manage the project and build the structure.
Construction on the new multi-court sports park will begin this year, and it will open the May long weekend in 2022.
“The design is ready to go to tender,” said Armstrong.
Interim chief administrative officer Steve Zorbas told city council a report later this year will go over how the new facility will operate and whether there may be user fees.
Work on both Canal Bank Street and Forks Road will get underway this year, and see watermains, sewers and utilities relocated and replaced.
Armstrong told city council work on Canal Bank, which will become a four-lane road with sidewalks, will take place on Empire-owned lands on the former John Deere property.
When the company is close to connecting the existing road with the realigned section, there will be a short disruption for motorists.
Homes to eventually front Canal Bank Street, part of the Dain West subdivision, will have garages around back. It’s to enhance the streetscape and add to the appeal of the area.
“We’ve done that in other projects,” said Armstrong.
A new park alongside the former Welland Canal will go in front of the realigned section. City staff will check on where Transport Canada lands end along the former canal near the proposed park.
A trail system will lead residents around the subdivisions and to the new multi-court sports park.
The Dain West subdivision, fronting Canal Bank Street, will feature two parks, four kilometres of trails and land set aside for a possible new Niagara Catholic District School Board elementary school.
Council heard those lands will sit for five years as each board determines whether they need new schools. If neither board nor any other school boards decide to build, then Empire can put homes on the land.
Empire recently purchased the former Dain City Tavern, Armstrong told city councillors. He said that was to ensure the company would have control over the area so nothing would detract from the overall project.
He said the property came up on the market, and he envisioned a new restaurant with a patio overlooking the former canal and residential apartments above.
Remediation work on the two properties will cost Empire $36 million, but the company will see breaks through Welland’s brownfield tax increment grant program, not to exceed $10 million per property.
“We’re hoping the (Niagara) Region will match with $8 million,” said Armstrong. “Empire is doing the remediation with its money upfront, and we’ll get that back as the project is built.”
He said the two subdivisions will benefit the community through the remediation of two brownfield sites, new jobs and local opportunity for employment, new parks, trails and open space, the multi-court sports park, local road improvements and new Forks Road Bridge.
“Empire is excited to come to Welland,” said Armstrong, adding the company is committed to the city and Niagara.
