Downtown Revitalization Plan For Sharbot Lake Nears Completion

Brent Cameron (with a file from Jeff Green) | Feb 16, 2022

Central Frontenac Township’s Economic Development Committee is nearing the completion of a Downtown Revitalization Plan for Sharbot Lake. Building upon the street reconstruction work in the village centre done in 2020 and supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs ‘Rural Economic Development’ (RED) program, the Plan has been in development throughout 2021 and is entering its final stage of public consultations.

The Committee includes Alison Robinson, Sara Carpenter, Maria Lockhart, Bill Bowick and is chaired by Councillor Brent Cameron. The Committee has been assisted in its work by Community Development Coordinator Adriana Barbary, Deputy Clerk Cindy Deachman, Public Works Manager Tyson Myers, as well as representatives from the County of Frontenac, and contributions from the Sharbot Lake Business Group.

Alison Robinson said that if you “develop a strong vibrant downtown and your area will build a viable economy. Whether you live in the hamlets or down the country roads that define the fabric of Central Frontenac, Sharbot Lake is your Downtown! The strategic plan is just a beginning, a document to stimulate thought and give the Township Council and staff a road map of the priorities when considering investing in a strong downtown and a strong economy.”

The draft plan includes action plans that are captured under 7 goals.

It starts with the most immediate goal, which is to establish a permanent staff position in the township to oversee “economic development and lead the downtown revitalization effort.” The second action plan is to develop a strategic plan for signage in downtown Sharbot Lake. The third is to ensure safe routes to services in the village in response to safety concerns over increased traffic in congested areas. This includes improving the public washroom at the Sharbot Lake beach, and putting up a trailhead building in Railway Park, across from the township office. The 4th goal is to preserve the heritage features and functionality of the village. This includes setting up a public wifi hotspot or hotspots that are available year-round. The 5th goal is to strengthen the local economy and facilitate new businesses. The 6th goal is to strengthen communication between community leaders and the final goal is to “promote and support” community led events and assets.

When asked about why the plan was important for the development of the village, Sara Carpenter explained that “the whole point is to take what's great about a community and strengthen and build on that. The DR Program is helping us develop a vision of where we want to go. Then if we invest in that vision, we start to see benefits.”

When completed, the plan will give the Township and members of the community a roadmap to growing the village’s economy as well as a vision of what future development can be. Bill Bowick commented that “the report is not the final answer. It will take time to implement all the recommendations, and some will change as we move forward but as we do so, we should see the emergence of a more attractive and prosperous community – a place where people like to live, a place that people like to visit. There will be nothing like it.”

While the Plan being drafted is specific to Sharbot Lake, the Economic Development Committee sees it as the first phase of a broader effort across the Township. As Maria Lockhart explains "The DTR plan is a blueprint assuring Central Frontenac's future. The inclusion of each community member's thoughts and skills is an essential ingredient to our collective success."

Looking beyond, Chair Brent Cameron added that “there is an enormous amount of research, planning and work that can form the basis of Community Revitalization Plans for other villages and hamlets – Parham / Tichborne, Godfrey / Piccadilly, Arden and Mountain Grove. What we can accomplish in Sharbot Lake and what we can do in all our other communities will be the ultimate measure of our success.”

Those interested in viewing the draft plan can access it at www.engagefrontenac.ca/sharbot-lake-revitalization The Committee continues to welcome and accept public comments and hopes to complete its work at the end of March.

For further information, contact: Adriana Barbary: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Brent Cameron: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.