Excitement as Sault plans major waterfront makeover

Planning is underway for a makeover to Sault Ste. Marie’s waterfront, with the latest update given at this week’s council meeting.

The St. Marys River is viewed as the Sault’s greatest natural draw, although many at city hall view it as underutilized.

The city’s tourism department is working on a 20-year plan for improving the area, with features such as a waterfront promenade, a river pool and more.

Tourism officials said public feedback when creating the plan has been more than five times higher than normal.

“Outreach and support has been huge so far,” said Travis Anderson of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie.

“I'm certainly hoping that will eventually transition into some funding to be available. But again, that's at council's discretion.”

Sault Ste. Marie's tourism department is working on a 20-year plan for improving the area, with features such as a waterfront promenade, a river pool and more.

Plans includes an urban beach

The plan includes improvements to walkability, locations for wildlife observation, designated fishing spots and an urban beach, an idea Mayor Matthew Shoemaker is eager to support.

“The urban beach is a concept that I think has a lot of interest, has a lot of support and one that I campaigned on in 2022,” Shoemaker said.

“(I’m) eager to see that come to fruition over the course of the coming years.”

A number of the ideas include land the city doesn't own, including changes to St. Marys Drive that would need approval from the new owners of the Station Mall.

“So if we could move that street back closer to the mall building, then that would free up a lot of space for retail shops for mixed-use developments and would really revitalize a really well-used part of the waterfront, but really amplify the use even more,” Shoemaker said.

An area that Anderson said would be easiest to improve is an already busy public space near the Roberta Bondar Pavilion.

“Adding some pop-up facilities, some seasonal retail and really looking at the connection on, you know, what we would term a tourist promenade up Spring Street to the plaza and all the way up to Queen Street,” he said.

“So really trying to drive, you know, people from the waterfront to Queen Street and vice versa.”

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City staff intend to break down the waterfront plan into different phases, prioritizing additions that will bring in dollars to the city the quickest.

Anderson said he will return to council at the end of June with more details on the next phase.