Downtown St. Catharines, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is defined by the city as the area between Highway 406 on the west and south, Geneva Street on the east until it reaches St. Paul Street then Niagara Street north until it meets Welland Avenue.
The area was originally known as a storehouse for goods at the crossing of an Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
trail over Twelve Mile Creek. Curving Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
trails formed the foundation of the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
streets as they appear today. Among them remains the largest and most historically-significant of the city, St. Paul Street - the spine of Downtown St. Catharines. Construction of the first and second Welland Canals behind St. Paul Street quickly elevated the area into a prosperous hub for commerce and industry in the Niagara Region.
The downtown's extensive history left an impressive showplace of heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
sites in the core. Architectural landmarks reveal the stories behind St. Catharines varying roles as the former seat of Lincoln County, a popular health-spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
destination, and the premiere retail centre for Niagara. Like many downtowns in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, the area experienced significant decline as shopping malls and power centres in the suburbs took over as major shopping destinations. Today, the downtown is experiencing its lowest vacancy rate since 2000, with over 120 shops, boutiques and over 50 culinary establishments. It has become particularly popular among Brock University
Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
and Niagara College
Niagara College
Niagara College is a College of Applied Arts and Technology within the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. The College has four campuses: the Welland Campus in Welland, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Maid of the Mist Campus in Niagara Falls, home of the Tourism Industry...
students who frequent the many bars and clubs that are centred around St. Paul & James Streets.
Citizens of St. Catharines often complain of the lack of parking and inconveniences associated with one-way streets in the core. On April 3, 2006, St. Catharines City Council
St. Catharines City Council
The St. Catharines City Council is the governing body of the City of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.The council consists of the mayor plus twelve elected councilors, with two councilors representing each of the six municipal wards...
voted in favour of returning two-way traffic to the downtown core, at an anticipated cost of $2 million. As of October 2009, most of the conversion work is complete but is too early to determine whether two-way traffic has been successful in making streets safer, slowing down traffic and boosting business. It is anticipated that the Niagara Wine Route will be modified to pass through downtown St. Catharines, thanks to the addition of two-way traffic.
On June 16, 2006 the Province of Ontario released a Growth Plan under the Places to Grow Act, 2005. In the plan, Downtown St. Catharines was one of 22 places identified as an Urban Growth Centre, which will give the area a growth target of 150 residents and jobs combined per hectare by 2031.
Work is to begin in 2010 on the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, a new campus of Brock University
Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
. The school will operate alongside the city's Niagara Centre for the Performing Arts and will house 500 full-time students in new buildings along St. Paul Street and the historic Canada Hair Cloth building.
Places of interest
- BME Church & Salem Chapel - A national historic site, played an important role during the abolitionist era and frequented by Harriet TubmanHarriet TubmanHarriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Harriet Ross; (1820 – 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves...
, the famed conductor of the Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
- City Hall - Built on the site of the previous City HallCity hallIn local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, this building was officially opened in August 1937 at the corner of Church and James Streets. Designed by local architect Robert Macbeth, the structure was originally built to accommodate all city departments, including a police station and jail in the basement. In 1963, the building was extensively renovated, however, most of the significant elements found inside, such as the main entryway, its marble floors, ornate ceiling and wide sweeping staircase, were left intact.
- Farmers' Market - One of the oldest farmers' markets in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, dating back to the 19th century. It continues to operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as it did over a century ago.
- Mansion House - Thought to have been constructed in the early 19th century by William Hamilton MerrittWilliam Hamilton MerrittWilliam Hamilton Merritt was an influential figure in the Niagara Peninsula of Upper Canada in early 19th century and one of the fathers of the Welland Canal....
, it is the oldest tavern in St. Catharines and the oldest continually licensed bar in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
- Montebello ParkMontebello ParkMontebello Park is a public park in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It features a commemorative rose garden with over 1,300 bushes in 25 varieties is the city's largest rose collection and an ornamental fountain. The focal point of the park is a historic...
- Designed by Frederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
in 1887, who went on to create New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Central ParkCentral ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. A commemorative rose garden with over 1,300 bushes in 25 varieties is the city's largest rose collection and features an ornamental fountain. The focal point of the park is a band shell and pavilion built in 1888. The park is designated under the Ontario Heritage ActOntario Heritage ActThe Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
.
- Old Courthouse - Built in 1848-49, the Old CourthouseCourthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
was the centre of political, cultural and social life in St. Catharines. Designed by renowned architect Kivas TullyKivas TullyKivas Tully was an Irish-Canadian architect.Born in Garryvacum in County Laois, Ireland, Kivas Tully was the son of John P. Tully, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and Alicia Willington...
, it was hailed as a great architectural achievement. The existing building soon became too small and an addition was added in 1863-65. Today, the building is home to Carousel Players, an independent theatre group, and recently underwent an extensive restoration.
- Queen St. Heritage District - An historically and architecturally significant neighbourhood in the downtown core.
- Welland House HotelWelland House HotelWelland House Hotel is a historic building located on the corner of King and Ontario Streets in St. Catharines, Ontario, the Welland House Hotel Building is now a landmark in the Downtown Core.-History:...
- One of the few surviving symbols of the city's extensive health spa history. Today the building is home to a student residence and CFBU, Brock UniversityBrock UniversityBrock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
's campus radioCampus radioCampus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
station.
- Yates St. Heritage District - Stately Victorian eraVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
homes line this street of what was once a thriving canal-side village. The remnants of the original Welland CanalWelland CanalThe Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
can still be seen at the bottom of the cliff on which this street is perched.
Heritage Corridor
The St. Catharines Economic and Tourism Services department, with support from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, launched the Heritage Corridor Project in 2004. The goal of the project is to draw tourists off the Niagara Wine Route into St. Catharines' downtown and other historically significant areas.Places to Live
A few streets within the St. Catharines Downtown Core where the houses are primarily used for residential purposes.- Yates Street - Stately Victorian era homes line this street which overlooked the First and Second Welland Canals.
- Montebello Place & Queen Street - Historic and architecturally significant homes. The corner of Montebello and Welland Avenue will soon be home to new townhouse style condominiums.
- James Street (north of Church St.) - Mainly consisting of rental units, but also has historic and architecturally significant buildings. Many can watch the Wine Festival's Grande Parade from their front porch.
- Gerrard & Beecher Streets - Cosy community within the Downtown Core with many historic homes, some dating back to the 1860s. Many improvements in the neighbourhood make this area an up and coming destination for those seeking to live in the Downtown Core.
SmartGrowth
The Gerrard, Beecher, and James Street area scored 'Pretty good' in the "Walkability ranking of your community", a program which evaluates how well a neighbourhood rates as a village, provided through the Ontario Smart Growth Network.Places to Work
The St. Catharines Downtown Core provides many places of employment. Here are a few:- Retail stores - Various retail stores are located throughout the core.
- Law firms - Various law firms are located throughout the core, a number of which are located near the Courthouse on James Street known as "Lawyers' Row".
- Banking institutions - Various Banks occupy the area within the Core known as the financial district. These include CIBC, Royal Bank, TD Canada Trust, ScotiaBank, HSBC, and more.
- Information Technology - Computer gaming company Silicon Knights, and the MTO are the largest employers of IT jobs in the core.
- Call Centres - The new Corbloc, Garden City Tower and Church Street are home to a few call centres operating within the Core.
- Municipal government - City Hall located at James and Church Streets.
- Regional government - The Niagara Regional Police headquarters located on Church Street.
- Provincial government - The Garden City Tower is home to a number of Ministries, the largest being the Ministry of Transportation.
- Federal government - Canada Revenue Agency on Church Street.
Lost Heritage
- The Grand Opera House (1877–1998) - With seating for 1200, the facility opened to much fanfare as a centre for musical production on Ontario Street. Over the years it housed an orchestra and featured numerous concerts and vaudeville shows. After a fire ravaged the building's facade and most of its interior, there was some public interest in restoring what was left of the auditorium, but the city and some professionals concluded that renovations would be much too costly and the site was levelled. The site is used today as a parking lot.
- The Canada Hair Cloth Company Ltd (1882–2007) - An industrial factory for over a century, the building closed in 2007 and will be home to Brock University's Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.
- The Russell Hotel
External links
