The Town of Tecumseh is moving forward with its community improvement plan for the Tecumseh Road gateway.
A special meeting of council was presented with three multi-million dollar options for re-development.
Town officials recommended moving forward with plans that will see utility poles and wires on Tecumseh Road eliminated during and after redevelopment .
The plan comes at a cost of $18.8 million and would see all wires relocated underground, eliminating the need for hydro or utility poles.
Three options were on the table and this was the most expensive.
The other two would have kept poles and wires above ground, but those involved with the project say what is proposed will be better in the long term.
Officials say moving all ‘above ground’ wires and poles will reduce limitations on streetscaping and businesses wanting to improve their facades.
The project stretches from the Windsor-Tecumseh border and runs just past the Tecumseh/Lesperance intersection.
Mayor Gary McNamara says the end goal is to recreate the feel of an actual main street in the town.
“I think nice cafes and boutique shops and hotels,” he says. “I think those are the types of investments we want to see there and at the end of the day it's about creating an economic development opportunity for the municipality to create jobs and increase the tax base."
A ‘pop-up’ open house is happening Wednesday for residents wanting to learn more about the project and more specifically about the option council chose this evening. That takes place at Frank's Brewery between noon and 7 p.m.
