Photo by: Charlie Martin
St. Catharines’ Sunset Beach renovation project has been awarded a $4.4 million dollar grant from the Province of Ontario.
After an application by city staff to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), provincial government officials gave a funding announcement at Sunset Beach on March 24.
The renovation project will take place in two phases. The first is set to start this fall with improvements to the Sunset Beach parking lot and reconstruction of the existing boat ramp as well as shoreline protection efforts. Phase two will include improvements to existing park amenities such as trails, picnic tables and a complete replacement of the playground structure.
“This investment from the province allows the City of St. Catharines to continue building the vision we have for Sunset Beach. Improvements to the overall accessibility of the site means that more members of the community will be able to enjoy one of the gems in the City’s north end. Kudos to city staff, ward councilors and residents for creating a vision that I know our community will be proud of,” said St. Catharines mayor Mat Siscoe in a press release provided to the media.
The Sunset Beach renovation project is part of the Sunset Beach Community Vision approved by the city’s council back in July, 2019. The $4.4 million provincial grant is set to cover just over 73 per cent of the total renovation cost. The City of St. Catharines is also contributing around 27 per cent of the total eligible project costs, totalling $1.6 million dollars.
“Sunset Beach has been a favourite lakefront destination for families in St. Catharines for generations. Today’s announcement of provincial funding to support infrastructure improvements of the parking lot, boat ramp and existing park amenities, as well as shoreline protection efforts, will ensure the City Beach is able to serve local residents for years to come,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West in a press release.
The city’s contributions to the project to the project costs are included in the annual capital budget. $800,000 was approved in the 2023 budget for phase one and there’s a 2024 future capital forecast of $800,000 for phase two.
Renovations to Sunset Beach are set to begin on Oct. 1.