Changes Are Coming To The Heart Of Downtown

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Major changes are coming to the very heart of Downtown Oakville with the Towne Square Revitalization Project expected to finally begin construction during the week of September 14th.

The long-awaited project promises to “transform one of the community’s most cherished public spaces into a more accessible, vibrant, and welcoming destination.” Changes will include new amphitheatre-style seating, a distinctive water feature, enhanced landscaping and decorative lighting. 

The Town is emphasizing that the construction will be completed in phases that have been carefully designed to minimize disruptions, and that safe access to Downtown Oakville businesses, restaurants, and residences will be maintained throughout the project. Those looking ahead to the holiday season will be pleased to know that construction is scheduled to pause in November, and that the town’s iconic Holiday Tree Lighting will still be held in Towne Square as per tradition.

The Toronto Star recently published a piece investigating Distrikt Developments, the company selected by the Ontario Government to build 11 skyscrapers near the Oakville GO Station. The story raises questions about the developer’s past and their level of experience. 

The midtown development has been controversial itself, as Oakville’s Town Council did not originally endorse the plan which they said “prioritizes mega-density at the expense of balanced and sustainable development”, but the province chose to use their power of minister’s zoning orders to nevertheless see the project approved. 

This new investigation by the Star (accessible only to those with a Toronto Star subscription) notes that the tallest building Distrikt has completed so far is only 10 storeys. It also describes a failed 2024 development project from the company, in addition to some of its ongoing legal and financial woes.   

Kirkland loyalists and fans of eternally $1.50 hot dogs were given a hopeful sign when a Costco-branded “Opening Soon” notice appeared on Wyecroft Road near Burloak Drive. 

This signals that the plans to replace part of the RioCan Centre Burloak with a new Costco warehouse are officially underway. The new store is expected to occupy 15,662 square metres in a development that will include underground parking and a standalone Costco gas bar.

With an opening date projected for sometime in the fall of 2027, there will still be a wait before shoppers can wander through the new warehouse’s signature wide aisles, but in the meantime anticipation will build right along with the construction of Oakville’s first Costco.     

Anyone driving through the intersection of Dundas and Trafalgar or shopping at any of the area’s surrounding retail stores might not realize it, but they’re on the same site where music legends once stood. 

45 years ago on August 23rd, 1981, a new wave music festival was held on a 70-acre farmland property known as The Grove. Headlined by The Police (and thus known as the Police Picnic) the lineup also included Iggy Pop, The Go-Go’s, Oingo Boingo, and Toronto’s own Nash the Slash, along with others in the burgeoning scene. 

Nearly 30,000 music fans flocked to what was then a relatively isolated and undeveloped part of the GTA, each paying $20 to attend an event that reported no major incidents. The Grove never hosted a concert of comparable size again, but even though Oakville was not destined to become the next Woodstock or Coachella, for one night in 1981 the sound of music was alive in its fields.

Kerr Street Mission, the nonprofit food bank that’s been serving the Oakville community for almost 30 years, will now be able to deliver even more fresh food to residents in need with the addition of a new full-size refrigerated food truck. 

A grand reveal and ribbon cutting ceremony were held earlier this week in celebration of the upgrade, attended by Mayor Rob Burton and Oakville West MP Sima Acan. KSM now has an average of 1,300 clients using its services to access quality food every week, and they emphasized that the truck “isn’t just nice to have” but something that’s indeed now necessary for the organization to scale-up. 

The new truck was made possible by the Rotary Club of Oakville, who provided a donation that covered the full cost.

Friday, August 28
⛅ A mix of sun and cloud
High: 23°C | Low: 11°C

Saturday, August 29
☀️ Sunny
High: 25°C | Low: 16°C

Sunday, August 30
⛅ A mix of sun and cloud
High: 27°C | Low: 19°C