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Downtown streetscape improvements eyed for March start

November 12, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Significant work to improve the Yonge Street streetscape in Aurora’s historic downtown core could begin as early as March following a public open house last week.

The Town hosted an open house on the Aurora Promenade Streetscape at the Aurora Public Library on Wednesday, November 4, where staff shared their vision for the overhaul and took in public comment.

The plan will not only change the aesthetics of the streetscape but overhaul traffic patterns as well in a bid to improve flow.

Among the changes is a realignment of the Yonge and Wellington intersection to include dedicated left-turn lanes northbound, southbound, eastbound, and westbound, the removal of on-street parking north of Wellington on Yonge, the banning of left-hand turns onto or off of Yonge Street at both Tyler and Mosley Streets, and new traffic lights at Yonge and Church Streets.

Changes will also be coming to on-street parking with layby parking put into place. While this move will reduce the number of overall parking spaces in the downtown core, it is hoped to improve the number of available parking spaces overall and reduce confusion by eliminating a.m. and p.m. restrictions on where to park.

“The purpose of this project is to enhance the public space, integrate the downtown business core with the newly-constructed Aurora Town Square, and address required rehabilitation of existing infrastructure,” says the Town, referencing the replacement of the existing 1932 sanitary sewer, which services the core and are reaching the end of their estimated service life.

Last week’s public open house came as the project reached the 60 per cent design stage, and followed an earlier open house on September 25.

“We are at the point of 60 per cent design where things are started to be molded into what they are going to look like,” says Nancy Fleming, Manager of Engineering and Capital Delivery for the Town of Aurora, noting design work has been carried out on light posts and landscaping to reinforce the area’s heritage feel, along with on-street landscaping, places for waste receptacles, and more. “The feedback was really mostly positive [from the public] about looking at the heritage feel that extended in the community and the area. They wanted to make comments about wayfinding, making sure we have enough signage, and what that will look like, which we’re working on now. They were very interested in the new traffic alignment at Wellington and Yonge, and it was nice to have the pictures [on site] to be able to walk people through that and the turning restrictions. It’s one thing to hear it, but being able to explain it to people through the boards… there were some really productive and good conversations around that.”

While residents had positive feedback about street trees adding shade and depth to the area, along with plans to have lights strung across Yonge Street near Wellington to add additional visual appeal, Fleming says traffic will prove to be the most transformative element of the plan.

“The traffic portion is very transformative because we’ll be encouraging people to come more into the downtown that may be shying away from it because it is very difficult to get through that artery,” says Fleming. “We’re going to be losing a few parking spaces because we don’t have additional room currently, but we’re trying to just work with what we have. Although we’re losing a few spaces we are gaining times in which you can park, so those lay-by lanes on both sides, you can park all-day every day rather than at certain restricted times like we have right now. It won’t be as confusing for people driving down on where they can park and on which side at what time.”

The next step in bringing the plan to fruition, she adds, is getting to the 90 per cent design stage, finalizing those details and getting the tender for construction ready.

The final plan will also need to be authorized by Council through the 2027 Budget process, she adds.

“We hope to start in March or April and then hopefully be done by December of next year,” she says. “We’re not going to be closing [Yonge] down for that whole time though. It will be through traffic. It will be slower, but there will be a traffic construction detour plan and traffic that will be allowed through, and we’re going to do it in phases.

“We’re working with the businesses to manage their impact too, but we appreciate everybody’s patience during construction because we know it has an effect on everyone, but we hope the final product will be worth it in the end.”

For detailed renderings of the Aurora Promenade Streetscape Plan and further documents, visit engageaurora.ca/streetscape.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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