The Niagara Region has narrowed the future of St. Davids’ business intersection down to two possible designs — and, from May 5 to 16, it’s asking Niagara-on-the-Lake residents to weigh in on which design they prefer.
The proposed St. Davids roundabout, to be located at York and Four Mile Creek roads, is expected to be completed by winter 2027. The region is asking people to vote on which design they want for the intersection, both online and in person.
The first option highlights the history of St. Davids, depicting the Four Mile Creek and the traditional Indigenous trail, incorporating native flowers, colours and a compass as a focal point.
Alternatively, the second option focuses on the village’s agricultural significance, featuring a vertical structure with a vineyard theme and trailing grapevines on a trellis.
“The roundabout gives a significant and unique streetscaping opportunity,” states the region’s project webpage. “The landscaping and height elements in the central island would add a focal point for St. Davids.”
The Niagara Region will provide a link for online voting on the project webpage, niagararegion.ca/projects/regional-road-81-and-100-reconstruction, when voting opens May 5. Each household can vote once.
The region hosted a workshop last fall with 80 participants, from which four design ideas emerged. Region staff reviewed these and developed two final options for residents to vote on.
Residents were encouraged to familiarize themselves with the designs in an April 24 public notice from the region.
“And vote for the features you feel represent the ideals and spirit of St. Davids,” the notice states.
Alongside the voting process, starting April 30, all properties and residents in NOTL will receive a newsletter with artist drawings of the designs to help them decide before voting begins. Larger images and more details are also available on the project webpage.
The single-lane roundabout will be designed to accommodate standard, tractor-trailer size vehicles, with a six-metre-wide circulatory road and a three-metre-wide mountable truck apron.
The goal is to allow large trucks and farm equipment to navigate the roundabout, while slowing down smaller cars for safety.
The project will replace three large drainage courses under York Road and will include a stormwater management plan that uses low-impact development facilities within the roundabout and at the northeast corner.
It will also feature splitter islands, with curbs, to slow down traffic, provide safe spaces for pedestrians and prevent drivers from going the wrong way. Pedestrian crossovers will be installed at each leg, where motorists will yield to pedestrians.
An archeological investigation will take place from spring to fall this year. After utilities are moved to the site in 2026, a tender will be issued in spring 2027, pending budget approval, with construction beginning that summer and finishing by winter 2027.
The intersection will remain open during construction, but traffic may be reduced to one lane with traffic-control personnel directing cars at times.
Residents will still be able to access homes and businesses throughout the project.
Building will first take place around the outside of the current intersection. Traffic will keep using the old intersection at first, then shift to the new outer sections once they are ready.
After that, construction will move to the center islands and splitter islands of the roundabout.
The region will post voting results on the project webpage when voting ends May 16.
Town staff will then present the preferred option and its costs to council, which is in charge of approving all landscaping and streetscaping upgrades to the roundabout, for its consideration. The region is only responsible for the road construction part, the notice states.
Voting can be done on the following days and at these locations:
St. Davids Fire Hall: May 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, or 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
NOTL Public Library: May 7 and 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and May 8 and 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., then 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
