The Streetscaping and Beautification program has been a long term initiative dating back to the Urban Design Guidelines (2006) that started gaining traction in 2012/2013.
The reality is the program started modestly, with a request for a Christmas tree in King City and it snowballed into a downtown revitalization for King City. The improvements at King Road and Keele Street set the table for improvements in Nobleton and expansions through the core area of King City.
Further planning for these projects was contemplated and approved by Council through the development of the Community Improvement Plan (2014/2015) and the Streetscaping and Beautification Plan 2015.
The program is funded through a combination of development charges, tax supported capital and Regional funding programs (Municipal Streetscaping Partnership Program and Pedestrian & Cycling Municipal Partnership Program), and is a constant work in progress as it is a tool to improve the public realm in the short term while also considering future development and an expanded design into the private property realm.
Past, current and future projects are as follows:
- 2013 - King Road and Keele Street Intersection Improvements
- 2014, 2015 and 2018 – Keele Street South Public Realm Improvements
- 2018/2019 – Highway 27 and King Road Intersection Improvements
- 2019 – Main Street Public Realm Improvements (Design Only)
- 2019/2020 – King Road Public Realm Improvements
- 2022 – King Road Public Realm Improvements (2585 King Road to Jane Street, Design Only)
- 2023 & Beyond:
- Main Street Public Realm Improvements
- Nobleton Core Area Public Realm Improvements
- King Road Public Realm Improvements (2585 King Road to Jane Street)
Project/Village Work Descriptions
- King City – The intersection improvements included widened decorative sidewalks, a Christmas tree, a piazza, shade structure, gardens/plantings and street furniture (bicycle racks, benches, garbage cans).
- The Keele Street sidewalk project included widened decorative sidewalks, banner and flower poles and seating areas. A public art installation is planned in this area for 2019.
- The King Road project (2585 King Road to Dufferin Street) will include widened decorative sidewalks, tree planting, a multi-use path, banner and flower poles, street furniture (bicycle racks, benches, garbage cans) and street/pedestrian lighting. This treatment will be applied to the area of King Road (2585 King Road to Jane Street) as part of future design and construction.
- Nobleton – The intersection improvements include widened decorative sidewalks, street furniture (bicycle racks, benches, garbage cans), a piazza, tree planting, banner/flower poles and gardens/plantings.
- A future construction phase would see this same treatment expanded out to the remainder of the core areas.
- Schomberg – Building off of the Main Street Revitalization Project, design of the public realm is scheduled for 2019 with construction to be completed post 2023. A design – similar to King City and Nobleton – must take into consideration and use key elements of the heritage aspect of Schomberg to ensure the character of the community remains.
