UPDATE: The street will not be closed on Aug. 1, but will be closed Aug. 8 and for the remainder of the Saturdays in August.
*****
A portion of Simcoe Street will be closed to traffic again this Saturday for a continued pedestrian street pilot project.
The street was closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, July 25, from Hurontario Street to St. Paul Street and local artists set up tents to sell their work. Other businesses on the street were permitted to set up tents and tables to sell items.
Staff recommended tonight that the Aug. 1 closure only include Simcoe Street from Ste Marie Street to St. Paul Street since there were no businesses set up on the first block of Simcoe between Hurontario and Ste Marie Streets for the July 25 closure.
Town staff also proposed handling future closures under the town's event application process, so the street closure could continue on Saturdays for the rest of the summer. By using the event permit process, other businesses who don't already have a storefront on Simcoe Street could also participate.
The Simcoe Street pedestrian-only pilot project was first proposed to council by Low Down owner Cassie MacKell and the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts (BMFA).
Council supported the Aug. 1 closure of Simcoe Street and further closures via the town's event permit process unanimously at their meeting last night.
