London Goderich readying itself for 'big dig' and big changes on the square An aerial view of Goderich's Courthouse Square. (Source: Rob Boyce) Share At this point next year, Goderich's downtown will be under construction. "It's going to look different.
The reason why we're doing this is because it's an infrastructure project, right? Our infrastructure that you don't see under the pavement is over 100 years old, so council has made the decision that now it's time to do it. Now it's time to replace it," said Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet. The $9 million project, which is expected to begin in March 2025 and last through to the fall of 2026, will replace all the water and sewer lines under Goderich's famous Courthouse Square.
Even though the plan is to go block by block during construction, the work is still going to be a massive disruption for downtown businesses. "What is that going to look like on their bottom line, to be honest, for the next two summers? The details of the final plan, you know, we'll get there, and it'll be, I feel like it'll be great regardless of what the details end up being," said Huron Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Colin Carmichael. But those above ground details have people talking in town.
The plan is to dramatically widen the sidewalk and narrow the street that encircles the Huron County Courthouse from three lanes to two, adding trees and benches along the new sidewalk and making Goderich's downtown much more pedestrian-oriented. Goderich's.