The heart of downtown Paris, Ontario, is undergoing a major transformation — the first of its kind in more than 77 years.
Mayor David Bailey, speaking with BrantBlog, shared an update on the Downtown Paris Dig project, its impact, and the support measures in place for local businesses.
“We have the Big Dig going on, where we’re digging up the complete town of Paris. It hasn’t been dug up for 77 years, so we’re doing everything all at once — and we’re right in the middle of it now,” said Mayor Bailey.
The construction has inevitably caused disruptions, with some downtown businesses and shoppers expressing frustration.
“We have a lot of people who are very angry because we’re making it sort of impossible right now for downtown people to shop and to exist,” he acknowledged.
“But at the end of the day, it will be worth it. By the end of October — probably Halloween or the first week of November — the project will be complete, with every tree planted, every garden done. When we decorate for Christmas, it will feel like nothing ever happened,” he added.
Mayor Bailey emphasized that while the work is extensive, efforts have been made to minimize the impact on local businesses.
The project is being carried out in phases to ensure access to shops remains available, and the County of Brant is actively promoting downtown accessibility through social media campaigns.
“There’s government support behind this, not only from the County of Brant but also contingency funds available. If businesses lose significant income because of the construction, we have measures in place to help them,” he explained.
“Most businesses have stayed open, and so far, no one has come forward saying they’re losing a terrible amount of business because we’re taking care of them,” he said.
Addressing downtown merchants and visitors directly, Bailey said: “The same promise we gave them during COVID applies here: we’ll take care of them. If the construction we cause leads to problems, we’ll fix it. People have always come forward when they needed help, and we’ll be there again.”
While he noted he would need to confirm the exact number with the Downtown Paris Business Improvement Area (BIA), Bailey estimated there are approximately 40 to 50 businesses operating in the downtown core.
The Downtown Paris Dig is a major, multi-year infrastructure project aimed at revitalizing the town’s historic center. It includes the replacement of aging water and sewer lines, as well as upgrades to gas and electrical utilities buried beneath the streets.
On April 3, the County of Brant announced that Phase 2 of the Downtown Dig, originally scheduled to begin on April 7, 2025, would be delayed, and expected to start at the end of April.
The Downtown Dig is being carried out in five phases, with full completion anticipated by 2028. Beyond critical underground infrastructure upgrades, the project also includes streetscape enhancements such as widened sidewalks, new lamp posts, public seating, and tree plantings to help reimagine the downtown core.
The initial focus of Phase 2 will be Grand River Street North, between Mechanic Street and William Street. Once that section is completed, crews will shift to the stretch between the Nith River Bridge and Mechanic Street, with work expected to take approximately eight weeks.
During this period, vehicle access into downtown from the Nith River Bridge will be closed, although pedestrian access will remain available.
The start of the third part of Phase 2 — which involves the reconstruction of Grand River Street North north of the Grand River Street North/William Street intersection — will be announced later, depending on construction progress.
Vehicle access between Mechanic Street and William Street will remain restricted through the 2025 construction season. Pedestrian routes will be adjusted as necessary to maintain access where possible.
Parking along Grand River Street North between William Street and the Nith River Bridge will be closed during construction, with potential adjustments as the project advances.
Additionally, the parking lot south of the cenotaph will be closed and repurposed as a contractor staging area during the construction season.
To manage traffic disruptions, the County has mapped out a series of detour routes aimed at maintaining access to downtown businesses while construction is underway.
For more details about the Downtown Paris Dig, visit engagebrant.ca/DowntownDig.
One thing is for sure: whatever time you think this will take, it won’t. Although the infrastructure on West River Street is done, at least in the mid section, we still live in chaos, dirt and dust, and we’re fed up!!
Let’s get one job FINISHED, before we move on to another. When we should be finishing up here, and getting our gardens back for the summer, the construction crew is working elsewhere. It’s just not good enough.