Official Plan Review

Thank you to all those who participated in the Public Information Centre (PIC) on June 18, 2024! This joint event included information about various projects including the Official Plan review, the Transportation Master Plan, and the Parks Master Plan.

For the Official Plan review, this event focused on gathering your input on various topics such as housing, workplaces, the environment, downtown and more.

Figure 1: A diagram with the pillars of Grimsby’s complete community (from Pillars of Grimsby’s Complete Community PIC Board).

If you were unable to participate in this event, the display boards presented at the PIC can be found on the right side of this webpage, under the Public Information Centre (June 18) widget. If you would like to provide comments about the policy directions on these boards, please email grimsbyop@grimsby.ca.

The feedback received will inform the creation of the draft Official Plan.

Stay tuned to this page as project updates, policy direction reports, surveys, and polls are made available.

The Town is currently undertaking three major planning projects that will help shape the future of the Town - the Official Plan Review, Parks Master Plan and the Transportation Master Plan. These three studies are interrelated and will inform each other with respect to policy and future direction.

Residents, business owners and members of the public are invited to join us for a drop in at Public Information Centre (PIC) to learn and ask questions about the various projects.

The PIC is being held at the Grimsby Town Hall from 6-8 pm on June 18^th.

What is your experience living in Grimsby?

Join us for a community conversation about housing needs, access, and affordability that will inform the Official Plan review. This event will include a brief presentation from Town Staff, small and large group conversations where residents can ask questions and share their views. This event is free and does not require registration.

The Housing & Affordability Community Conversation will take place on June 13 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Elizabeth Street Pump House (447 Elizabeth Street).

Today was the final day of the Greater Downtown Planning & Design Charrette.

Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the week for the Walk 'n' Talk Tours and the Greater Downtown Think Tank!

More events that focus on gathering your input are planned for June, including a Public Information Centre (PIC).

Stay tuned to letstalkgrimsby.ca/officialplan for more updates!

Today's events - including the Greater Downtown THINK TANK - focused on understanding and formulating a vision for Downtown Grimsby.

The Greater Downtown THINK TANK: Interactive Exhibit and Experience

The Greater Downtown THINK TANK was designed to gather public input on the future of the greater downtown area and how it might evolve over the next 25+ years. The results of the THINK TANK will be considered as part of the review of the Official Plan.

Figure 1 - Visitors at the event space located at 35 Main Street West.

Figure 2 - Visitors interacting with the floor map. Visitors used stickers to identify their vision for where a particular feature could or should be located.

Have more feedback? Email grimsbyop@grimsby.ca and join us for a public information centre in June!

Day two of the Greater Downtown Planning & Design Charrette began with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) Analysis, and finished with a Walk 'n' Talk Tour.

SWOT Analysis

What is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT Analysis is an exercise that involves identifying and analysing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in order to develop plans and strategies for the future. The analysis identifies some topics related to these themes in Downtown Grimsby. These topics will continue to evolve with public input and inform the Official Plan review.

Figure 1 - Initial pin-up of a SWOT Analysis of Downtown Grimsby. The topics identified with each theme will continue to evolve with further public input.

Figure 2 - Drawing identifying some of the strengths of Downtown Grimsby.

Walk 'n' Talk Tour: Public Realm & Circulation

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the second Walk 'n' Talk Tour! This tour focused on the public realm and circulation in Downtown Grimsby and was lead by Sarah Sweeney (Director of Parks, Recreation, and Culture) and Harold Madi (Director of Planning and Building).

The Walk ‘n’ Talk Tour: Public Realm & Circulation pamphlet can be found in the Documents widget on letstalkgrimsby.ca/officialplan.

The next event for the Greater Downtown Planning & Design Charette is the Greater Downtown THINK TANK: Interactive Exhibit and Experience on May 30^th from 3:00pm to 8:00pm. This event will take place at 35 Main Street West.

See you there!

The Greater Downtown Planning and Design Charrette kicked off with a Walk 'n' Talk Tour about the history and culture of Downtown Grimsby.

Walk ‘n’ Talk Tour: History & Culture

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the first Walk ‘n’ Talk Tour! The tour was lead by Bianca Verrecchia (Intermediate Heritage Planner), Wayne Mullins (President of the Grimsby Historical Society), Sara Nixon (Chair of Heritage Grimsby Advisory Committee), Janet Oakes (Grimsby Museum Manager/ Curator) & Garrett France- Wyllie (Heritage Planner).

A special thank you to the Grimsby Historical Society and Wayne Mullins for sharing photos from their collections for the purpose of this tour.

Some key locations included in the tour can be seen in the historical images below.

Figure 1 - The Village Inn (1907-1973) was a central gathering place for socializing and entertaining for several decades. It was located at the corner of Main Street West and Mountain Street.

Figure 2 - Jonathan Woolverton’s House was built in 1839. This photo was taken in 1909 and showcases the Victorian additions from the 1880s. This building is still standing in Downtown Grimsby today.

Figure 3 - Adelaide Street is located within one of Grimsby’s oldest neighbourhoods. As the area developed and industry flourished – including Merritt Bros. Basket Factory seen above - many of the single family homes were turned into multi family dwellings.

The Walk ‘n’ Talk Tour: History and Culture pamphlet can be found in the Documents widget on letstalkgrimsby.ca/officialplan.

The next Walk ‘n’ Talk Tour, focusing on the public realm & circulation in Downtown Grimsby is May 29^th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. This tour will begin at the Coach House located at 13B Mountain Street.

See you there!

We want to hear your ideas about the future of Downtown Grimsby!

Join us for the Greater Downtown Planning & Design Charrette.

What is a Charrette?

A charrette is an intensive, collaborative process held over several days that brings together experts and professionals from various disciplines to generate and advance solutions, ideas and concepts for a complex site, district or subject matter. These outcomes are informed, vetted, and steered through the engagement and input of stakeholders and the public at strategic points in the charrette process. The key benefits of utilizing the charrette process include arriving at comprehensive solutions to complex challenges in days rather than months or years, and the extraordinary broadly shared excitement and momentum generated.

The Greater Downtown Planning & Design Charrette will include several public engagement events that can help shape the vision for Grimsby’s future Downtown and inform the policy direction for the Official Plan review. These events are free and do not require registration.

• Walk’n’Talk Tour: History and Culture – May 28^th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, beginning at the Coach House at 13B Mountain Street
• Walk’n’Talk Tour: Public Realm & Circulation – May 29^th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, beginning at the Coach House at 13B Mountain Street
• Downtown Think Tank: Greater Downtown Interactive Exhibit & Experience – May 30^th from 3:00pm to 8:00pm, 35 Main Street West

Stay tuned to Let’s Talk Grimsby for more information!

Let’s talk about Sustainability and Climate Change at Elizabeth Street Pumphouse (447 Elizabeth Street) on May 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Town Talks aims to engage residents about key topics that will have an impact on the future of Grimsby and inform the Town’s Official Plan review. There will be an open question period for attendees to ask questions and share their views. Attending this series is free and does not require registration.

Speakers for this event include:

• Paul Mikoda, Ecologist at RV Anderson
• Matt de Witt, Stormwater Designer and Transportation Engineer at RV Anderson
• Suzanne Madder, Niagara Region Manager of Corporate Performance and Strategy
• Cameron Parkin, O2 Planning and Design Data Analytics and Design Lead and University of Waterloo Architecture Adjunct Professor

We hope to see you there!

Let’s keep the discussion going! An additional Town Talks Panel discussion has been planned in May.

The next Town Talks panel discussion will feature speakers with different backgrounds discussing sustainability and climate change as it relates to the official plan. There will be an open question period for attendees to ask questions and share their views. Attending this series is free and does not require registration.

Town Talks is a panel discussion series informing the Official Plan Review. These events aim to engage residents about key topics that will have an impact on the future of Grimsby.

The next Town Talks panel discussion is:

• Sustainability and Climate Change on May 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Elizabeth Street Pumphouse (447 Elizabeth St, Grimsby)

We hope to see you there!