WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?: From parking to parking in downtown Oshawa

By Aniyah Morales On Sep 9, 2022

A sign just went up announcing plans for a future urban park at the corner of Bond and Simcoe streets in Oshawa. Aug 26, 2022

The city has plans to turn a parking lot in Oshawa’s core into a new downtown parquet.

Just the facts:

• The city expropriation of the property at the northeast corner of Bond Street East and Simcoe Street North was completed earlier this summer, Coun. Derek Giberson explained via email.

• Currently, the land is the only non-developed corner of the busy intersection and acts as a temporary city pay-and-display parking lot.

• The long-term plans will turn the corner into an urban park.

• Residents will have an opportunity to provide input on the design plans for park.

• “The 2023 budget will include the consultation and design process, and the 2024 budget will have the park development costs based on the 2023 findings,” added Coun. Giberson.

• In late June, Oshawa Council approved a new downtown revitalization plan, called Plan 20Thirty, to create a lively and modern urban center in the heart of the city.

• Work to make the downtown parquet a reality has been underway since Oshawa’s previous downtown plan, Plan 20Twenty.

• “I believe it will fundamentally change the quality of life for that area,” Coun. Rick Kerr said via Facebook.