Welcome to the Wyndham Street North Virtual Open House

Welcome to the virtual open house for the Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program (DTIRP). The purpose of this virtual open house is to:

• Share information about the DTIRP, and specifically the renewal of Wyndham Street North, including St. George’s Square.
• Share detailed designs for Wyndham Street North and St. George’s Square.
• Share information about the construction planning and stages for this project.

The virtual open house will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You can navigate to different sections by selecting tabs at the top of the screen, or pressing “Next” at the bottom of each slide.

Let us take time to reflect on our privilege to live and work in Guelph; a city built over rich Indigenous histories. We are guests here, and we should reflect upon the responsibility to care for this land, the people who live here today, and the generations to come. If our actions today can move us towards reconciliation, we should take pause and make those decisions with intention and gratitude.

This place we call Guelph has served as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples over time, but more specifically the Attiwonderonk, and the Haudenosaunee. This land is held as the treaty lands and territory with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Guelph lies directly adjacent to the Haldimand Tract and is part of a long-established traditional hunting ground for the Six Nations of the Grand River. Many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who have come from across Turtle Island call Guelph home today.

To learn more about the land acknowledgement, its context and intent, please visit City of Guelph Territorial Acknowledgement.

The study area is focused on Wyndham Street North from Farquhar Street to Woolwich Street and includes St. George’s Square in the middle.

An overhead aerial photo of Downtown Guelph centered on Wyndham St. N. The study area is outlined in red and runs from Farquhar St. in the south to Woolwich St. in the north.

A functional design is an engineering plan that shows how the full street will work for different uses. For example, it includes roadways, street crossings, turning lanes, loading zones, and parking, as well as sidewalks, the new cycle tracks and space for other uses such as planters, patios and passive areas. This section shows the proposed functional design for Wyndham Street North and St. George’s Square. The next section we will discuss the street designed elements, known as ‘streetscaping.’

Through the Wyndham Street Municipal Class EA process (2023), the typical cross-section for the corridor was changed to a two-lane configuration with cycle track on either side of the roadway. Underground, many services are being upgraded including storm and sanitary sewers, water mains, gas lines, as well as hydro and telecommunication cables.

A design of a typical cross section of the functional street design for Wyndham Street North between Macdonell and Cork Streets. The design spans the width of the street from building property line across Wyndham Street North to the next property line. The key features of the design from building to the middle of the road include a sidewalk, a furnishing zone, a cycle track, a buffer with protective bollards, then the curb before the vehicular through lane. A left hand turn lane is shown in the centre of the image. Also included in the image is detail about the location of underground infrastructure improvements, including hydro, telecommunication, gas, storm and sanitary sewers and water main.

In the St. George’s Square-Wyndham-Quebec intersection, there are minor changes such as the reduction of lanes, but the overall configuration stays similar to the current layout. Additional changes were included to create more space for people to gather such as removing the left-turn lane at St. George’s Square and relocating parking from inside the Square area.

Other key features of the updated design include:

• Parallel parking areas surrounded by curb bump outs.
• Permanent loading/unloading zones identified within Downtown.
• Bus pads and bus shelters included in the streetscape.

Click on the images below to enlarge the functional design for Wyndham Street North. The plan has been split into three sections to make it easier to view.

The functional design plan for the Wyndham Street North study area from Woolwich Street to Farquhar Street. The plan includes details of the Woolwich and Wyndham Street intersection including turning lanes, through lanes, medians, and curb radii at each corner. It also shows the Douglas-Quebec-Wyndham intersection, the Cork-Wyndham intersection, St. George’s Square, and details of the Macdonell and Wyndham Street intersection including turning lanes, through lanes, and curb radii at each corner. Colour coded sections outline the street cross section details such as sidewalks, furnishing zones (for trees, planters, seating and patios), cycle track, transit stops, loading zones and parking areas.

This streetscape design aims to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment that enhances the urban experience while promoting a space that is shared by all modes of transportation.

The design for Wyndham Street North focuses on creating a flexible street design that can adapt for events or everyday activities. Key features include wide, accessible sidewalks lined with a mix of perennial planting beds, decorative raised planters, and trees to provide shade. The streetscape is designed with a balance of hardscape surfaces, and softscape elements. Functional areas with textured paving, seating areas and bike racks, for example, are complemented by the inviting atmosphere created by trees and flowers. Materials in the design were selected specifically for durability, ease of maintenance, and an aesthetic that aligns with the character of the surrounding architecture and heritage.

The 3D image of the Wyndham St. North cross section provides an idea of how the typical cross section will look when completed. It includes wide sidewalks, furnishing areas (planters, trees, waste receptacles, seating areas), cycle track, a buffer zone with bollards between the cycle track and parking, cross walk and traffic lanes.

Click on the images below to view detailed streetscape plans for Wyndham Street North. These images show the north and south part of Wyndham St. North; the detail design for St. George’s Square is on the next tab.

The following images illustrate the design options under consideration for Downtown street signs.

The concept design for St. George’s Square blends many elements, old and new, to create a renewed public open park space that is flexible and can hold a wide range of events and activities. The concept plays off the rolling hills found throughout Guelph and uses limestone elements to reflect the importance of heritage in the city.

Design features:

• St. George’s Square is unified across roadways through the use of paving materials.
• The perfect square footprint is highlighted through pathways and banding on the outside of the space.
• Trees, planters and other seasonal plantings will bring a natural element to space.
• The layout is both durable and functional, featuring paved areas, flexible seating, shade structures and open spaces that can be easily transformed for festivals, performances, markets, and community gatherings.

This urban space is an inviting hub for outdoor activities, with ample room for gathering and play, making it a dynamic, year-round destination for people of all ages.

A 3D image of the proposed redesigned St. George’s Square that includes new trees, planters, and patios throughout. Borders and banding outline the Square, there is unique paving within the Square on the road way and within the furnishing areas, which include seating, shade areas, a small play area, gateway features and the new location of the Family fountain in front of the Old Quebec Street Shoppes.

Detailed concept design plan for St. George’s Square that includes features to better define and brand the Square such as walkway and banding around the perimeter, decorative paving on roadway and furnishing zones, and three gateway features at the north and south entries into the Square and at Quebec Street. The southwest quadrant includes play area, seating areas, trees and raised planters, shade structures, and the Big Heart. The post office quadrant includes trees and planters, shade structure with lighting, seating areas, a raised platform for events, and a vertical light feature to illuminate the northwest corner. The Quebec Street Mall quadrant includes the relocated Family Fountain surrounded by seating, a shade structure with washroom facilities, trees and planters and seating. Removable barriers are located at Douglas and Quebec Street to allow for the closure of the Square during events.

The construction of the Wyndham Street North phase of DTIRP is planned to run from Spring 2026 through Summer 2028 in different stages. Each section below details the proposed timeframe for construction and the different stages of street closures. In each stage of construction, pedestrian access will be maintained and dedicated loading zones will be provided for local businesses.

The timing below represents an outline of the work to come, however as the construction contractor begins the detailed construction plan, some adaptation may occur.

Thank you for taking part in the Wyndham Street North virtual open house. Your feedback will assist the project team as they finalize designs for Wyndham Street North and St. George’s Square.

If you have further questions about this project, or require additional information, please contact: