Fougere outlines downtown revitalization plan as part of re-election bid

Regina mayoral candidate Michael Fougere outlined his plans Tuesday to revitalize the city’s downtown if he’s re-elected.

Topics Fougere spoke about included moving transit buses off 11th Avenue to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, as well as building a pedestrian walkway to connect downtown to Mosaic Stadium and Evraz Place.

“It may be Lorne Street or somewhere around there,” Fougere said when asked to where the buses could be moved. “I have heard for quite some time from businesses in the area that they have had problems with the wall of buses on 11th Avenue.

“Having the buses near the Cornwall Centre but away from there will make it more pedestrian-friendly and the buses will still be able to be downtown. That evaluation will take place as to what land is available and what our options would be.”

Fougere said his idea for a pedestrian walkway would “not happen overnight,” calling it a long-term project.

“One of our strengths is our sports and entertainment. We have the best stadium in Canada, we have a good hockey rink (and) we have the Co-operators Centre,” Fougere said. “They could be linked to what happens downtown before and after an event.

“It would be a wide, large walkway that would probably be outdoors.”

Fougere said it’s just a high-level concept and there would have to be a lot of conversations before it would come to fruition.

“There will be lots of public consultation about the design (and) partnerships, but ultimately we would want it to be easy, uncomplicated and inviting to take that walk between places,” Fougere added.

Fougere also touched on redirecting parking fine revenues to fund road and sidewalk repair as well as improving parking and accessibility for the Globe Theatre and the pedestrian mall.

“I’m proposing that we redirect parking fine revenues to repair sidewalks, light standards and other infrastructure downtown,” Fougere said. “We wouldn’t redirect all of the money from this, but a portion would go downtown.”

Last year there was roughly $1.8 million in parking fines handed out, according to Fougere.

“The work is never done. It will always be a work in process,” he said. “We have a lot of vacant lots that we need to figure out what to do with them.

“We need to find incentives for ideas to come forward. I want to create that environment for growth and opportunity.”