The Town of Smiths Falls is announcing the demolition of 54 Lombard St. scheduled to begin on Monday, Feb. 8. The demolition is expected to take three weeks.

In 2013, the property at 54 Lombard St. was flagged as a gateway/open space in the Downtown Master Plan Report. As stated in the plan, the goal is to construct a visually appealing entry point for Victoria Park that will enhance the landscape and visitor and citizen experience.

“The change at the Lombard Street intersection will provide access to the adjacent parks and trails and improve the quality of life for both citizens and visitors” said Director of Community Services, Art Manhire. “We’re excited about moving forward with a project that will improve the view to the Rideau Canal and Victoria Park basin.”

The gateway feature will be prominent when entering Smiths Falls from Highway 15 from the south and the demolition of 54 Lombard St. is the first step in moving towards that vision.

While the vision for the project will be based on the recommendations and findings of the Downtown Master Plan, no final decisions have been made about what the gateway and open space will look like.

Parks Canada is also developing a placemaking design for Victoria Park and the lot at 54 Lombard St. will provide a pedestrian access point into the park.

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