Josephine Street extends approximately 1.9 km along the route of County Road 4 (former Provincial Highway No. 4), between North Street and the County Road 86 intersection. This two-lane street forms the community’s ‘Main Street’ and functions as the only north-south arterial road through the community. Downtown Wingham is a rich cultural centre with an attractive mix of building style and heritage features. In this regard, the historic North Huron Museum, Town Hall Historic Theatre, the Wingham Branch Library, Alice Munro Garden, Cruickshank Park, the Township Municipal Office and the Wingham Fire Hall are all situated along this corridor. There are also approximately 140 retail and service businesses operating in the core area providing a wide range of services.
BMROSS was retained by the Township of North Huron to provide design and construction review services for the reconstruction of Josephine Street in Wingham. The improvements to servicing infrastructure and streetscaping along Josephine Street would permit the Township of North Huron to resolve deficiencies with existing water and wastewater facilities, support downtown revitalization and promote economic growth. Completion of this work concurrently with the County of Huron resurfacing project provided the Township with an opportunity to realize economic efficiencies while also minimizing the level of disruption required to address the defined problems.
The project incorporated amenities such as coloured sidewalk sections, benches, tree planters and decorative streetlighting. Provision of these design elements, as well as other beautification initiatives effectively modernize downtown Wingham, and provided a more attractive urban setting for local residents and visitors.