THUNDER BAY — It's the end of an era for Victoriaville Centre. The city-owned mall is set to be demolished starting the first week of June.
“The last week of May is when you should start seeing some fencing going up and some equipment showing up on site, with the actual construction work happening the first week of June,” Aaron Ward, manager of engineering, told Dougall Media in an interview.
Ward said the first step is to get the few businesses in the mall site set up with temporary entrance points.
Thrive Fitness, Victoriaville Physiotherapy Centre, Sweet Cherry Spa, and the city’s civic centre will remain open to the public while the two-year reconstruction of Victoria Avenue is being completed.
He said there will be no impact on the Centennial Square parking lot during demolition, but the public will see contractors using the paved lane closest to the building.
The city will also be launching a Reimagined Victoriaville phase three information page on the city’s Get Involved site later this week.
Ward said the page will outline how members of the public can access the open businesses during the construction.
“With this being a large construction project, it's over a block of construction, and it affects a few different streets. How you want to get to the civic center to apply for a building permit or get to a private business, that path may change as the contractor moves through demolition, deconstruction, and then the construction of the road. So, we just want to keep people apprised and updated on how to get the best path to get to where you need to go,” said Ward.
Finnway General Contractor Inc. was awarded the tender. Their $18.4 bid came within the capital budget for the project.
The project will be broken into several phases, with the demolition and deconstruction of Victoriaville Mall and the reconstruction of Victoria Avenue and Syndicate Avenue.
Victoria Avenue will ultimately be reopened to motorists, with added bike lanes, widened sidewalks for pedestrians and patio space for new businesses, while the segment of Syndicate Avenue that is currently part of the mall will be redesigned as a gathering area with benches, dining tables, and green space.
