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When the Juno music ends, jackhammers on Dundas will resume

It will be clear sailing on London's Dundas Street during Juno week but the Monday after the music festival wraps, the downtown strip will be transformed into a construction zone that will last about nine months.

Get ready for 9 months of construction on the main strip between Richmond and Wellington

CBC News ·
Construction workers install lighting ahead of road closures on Dundas Street, between Richmond and Wellington Streets. (Amanda Margison/ CBC News)

It will be clear sailing on London's Dundas Street during Juno week but the Monday after the music festival wraps, the downtown strip will be transformed into a construction zone that will last about nine months.

Downtown business owners and residents got a sneak peak at what to expect Tuesday when the work begins March 18 on the section between Richmond and Wellington Streets. 

This is the second phase of a development project known as Dundas Place, which will turn the road into a pedestrian-friendly route designed for public events. 

Jim Yanchula, downtown projects and business relations manager, takes questions from neighbours impacted by the Dundas Street construction. (Amanda Margison/ CBC London)

"What you will see is the orange fencing go up on the Monday, across the Clarence Street intersection, and that's when the contractors will break ground," explained London's project manager Jim Yanchula. 

That construction fencing will be slightly different from the barriers that contained the work during the first phase of the Dundas Street overhaul, between Ridout and Richmond, that saw that section blocked last year.

The city learned from public feedback that people want to be see through the fence, not only to look at the work being done but to improve security.

"People feel claustrophobic and they told us the corridors were too dark," Yanchula said. "So we've improved that by opening it up. We've also improved the signage so people know how to navigate the area.

Parking challenges

Luring shoppers to Dundas Street was a sore point for business owners who lived through construction in 2018. Parking was also a concern.

"There will be disruption, so look for bagged meters, but you need to know there's lots of parking in the downtown in lots or on streets that neighbour Dundas," said London's parking and licensing manager Annette Drost. 

Street parking is reopened on the newly redone section of the street and the first hour is free.

The flex street west of Richmond Street is open to traffic but there's still work to do, including adding street furniture and planting trees. (Photo courtesy of Arthur Connolly)

Yanchula said there's still work to do on the strip between Ridout and Richmond, including:

  • Planting trees.
  • Installing a light canopy across the Market Lane walkway.
  • Painting lines on the road. 

Londoners will have a chance to "try out" the flex street during the Junos when the road is opened for outdoor stages and installations. 

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