Reclaiming a neighbourhood: how Thunder Bay's Mayor envisions the future of the downtown south core

A recent fire that engulfed a vacant building in Thunder Bay has sparked conversation about what a future may look like for the city's south-core neighbourhood.

A number of buildings in the area have been destroyed by fires over the last several years, while other buildings in the area have uncertain futures.

Thunder Bay Mayor, Bill Mauro, said when it comes to a vision for the south-core of Thunder Bay, options are being considered by the city.

"I have a report coming to council that I've requested on what I see as potentially an option," he said in an interview with CBC. "It will not be a significant game changer and it will be an in-camera report."

Future of Victoriaville still in question

Mauro used the Victoriaville Centre as an example of a space in the city that if removed, could have an impact on the community. 

"I haven't made up my mind on what position I would necessarily support...but instinctively in my mind I really do feel that by opening it up, creating more traffic flow that the businesses will benefit from that," he said about the controversial shopping mall.

Just last month city planners, consultants from Urban Systems and Victoriaville Centre property managers presented three analyzed and evaluated options for the future of the downtown mall. Options for the centre include redevelopment or demolition, followed by setting up new amenities in the neighbourhood.

Mauro said a challenge the city faces comes down to its ability to entice private businesses to consider the downtown south-core. He said this challenge makes controlling public infrastructure in the area a priority in order to create critical mass, through employment opportunities and housing.

"An example, the courthouse downtown, when we were there provincially we worked very hard and the city was obviously a very willing and able partner to get this building located downtown here," he said. "I really believe that with the location of your public infrastructure if you can create enough critical mass where people are here and we do have that here, that's the secret."

Derelict buildings being 'acted on' 

The Mayor said the city is looking to utilize a community improvement plan, which is a tool available under the planning act in provincial legislation. 

"That's available to municipalities to create a community improvement plan area...you can through that plan, offer financial incentives to the private sector," he said.

Mauro added that the city did have an improvement plan in place but said it was not well resourced, and did not offer significant incentives to entice private sector development into the downtown core.

Mauro said collaboration with the Business Improvement Association (BIA) in the south core is another tool that the city will continue to use.

"I can't help but believe we don't need to do too much more to help turn this around...those businesses and that investment will start to come," he said.

"Some of the buildings that we see as derelict buildings, they are being acted on and you will see some change there in the very near future."