The District is moving forward with its plan to make major upgrades to First Avenue in Downtown Mission.
Work on streetscape improvements will start this spring, hopefully by March 19.
Eurova British Columbia Inc. has been awarded the contract, by the district, to perform the work
The total tender price came in at approximately $3.8-million, including GST.
This required approximately $785,000 in additional funding from the District, coming from the existing paving program and general accumulated surplus.
There is also an additional contribution from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as the scope of paving increased beyond the original project plan.
The revitalization project focuses on First Avenue from Horne Street to Grand Street, where improvements should result in a renewed interest in the downtown for residents and tourists. With increased numbers of visitors to the Downtown area, there are increased economic opportunities for new and existing businesses.
“Mission’s historic downtown core is an important hub in our community and we are extremely happy to be investing in these improvements,” said Mission Mayor Randy Hawes. “It has been many years since the last significant investment in downtown Mission, and this project provides our local merchants the opportunity to truly shine.”
According to a press release, when the project wraps up in the fall, “First Avenue will be transformed with exceptional streetscapes that improve access and enhance the value of our vibrant and historical Downtown core.”
The release goes on to explain that downtown revitalization was a major objective in council’s 2016-2018 strategic plan, and the district is pleased to be moving forward with this important initiative.
“The Mission DBA could not be happier to be working with the District of Mission on the long-anticipated revitalization of our downtown core,” said Jamie Hayes, executive director of the DBA
Hayes added that downtown merchants “will be open for business for the duration of the project and we encourage our shoppers to visit us frequently through the project to see the exciting new changes.”
The new streetscape design includes many elements to improve the overall pedestrian experience and safety including:
• More and new street trees with tree grates and irrigation;
• A moderate widening of the sidewalk and slight decrease in the width of vehicle travel lanes;
• New street furniture including benches, litter bins, bike racks and bollards that are both functional and attractive;
• New street lights with brackets for banners, hanging baskets and irrigation;
• Bump outs at the intersections to improve pedestrian safety and provide added design elements for the visually impaired;
• Landscaping areas throughout the project that include irrigation;
• Drainage improvements and pavement reconstruction.
Work will generally take place block-by-block to minimize disruption to residents and merchants.
For more information visit historic downtown Mission and look for the story board displays coming to select store windows soon. When visiting the downtown look for the project ambassador for assistance getting around the works or to answer questions about the project.