Downtown merchants to debate Bus Rapid Transit

City hall is gearing up for the first of two meetings Thursday with downtown businesses regarding London’s proposed rapid transit path.

Merchants along King Street will have their say this week while those on Richmond Street prep to tackle roadblocks next Thursday.

Down Shift, an umbrella group for downtown merchants, was formed following concerns over the city’s $560-million bus rapid transit plan. The grassroots organization chose its brand as a play on the name given to the proposed plan, Shift.

The uncertainty stems from concerns surrounding the route along both streets disrupting businesses during construction.

In response, acting city manager Martin Hayward organized the meetings to create a better path of communication between the horseshoe and downtown businesses.

“We thought it was important to go out and…speak with the business community in the downtown and make sure that we could cover off issues that they were raising or at least talk to them and make sure they knew they have been heard in the process,” he said.

However, Down Shift isn’t the only community group that has concerns about transit.

Angela Lukach, president of the SoHo Community Association, is asking for clarification on how the proposed path will affect the downtown neighbourhood.

“I really think they do need to be heard,” said Lukach of businesses within the strip touching north of Horton Street and east of Adelaide Street. “A lot of them are very small businesses and it’s going to have horrendous impacts on them.”

Lukach is concerned over construction along Wellington, which passes directly through the neighbourhood and specifically more bus lanes and fewer parking spaces.

Despite rising concerns, Hayward ensures Londoners the city is working to hear all concerns.

“We want to engage businesses that are important to us and we want them to survive and thrive,” he said.

The BRT plan includes high-frequency busses running along corridors within the city, and especially the downtown core. However, the route would avoid Richmond, using a proposed tunnel beneath the street as a pathway.

Due to ongoing debates, routes aren’t expected to be finalized until June.

With files from Hala Ghonaim