The OPWA Project of the Year Award is a reminder of the important role that public works projects play in improving the quality of life in our communities; the Diggin’ Downtown project is a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.

The Diggin’ Downtown project involved upgrading streetscapes in Huntsville’s downtown core with new sidewalks, streetlights, improved accessibility for pedestrians, and a new, smooth driving surface – all while replacing the underground water and sewer infrastructure that delivers critical services to our community. This project will have significant positive impacts on many residents, businesses, and visitors, enhancing the livability and attractiveness of downtown Huntsville.

“The Diggin’ Downtown project exemplifies what can be achieved through effective collaboration, partnerships and strong relationships,” said James Steele, Commissioner of Engineering and Public Works with the District of Muskoka. “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award – it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. It will inspire us to continue pushing boundaries and delivering innovative solutions for our community.”

The Town of Huntsville’s Director of Operations and Protective Services, Tarmo Uukkivi, echoed Steele’s sentiments,

“It is an incredible honour for the Diggin’ Downtown team to receive industry recognition from the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA). This project highlights what can be achieved when collaboration between upper and lower tier is emphasized. From strategic communications to strong relationships, both the Town and District staff had a role to play in making this project such a success.”

The OPWA award is an inspiration for future projects and serves as a reminder of the importance of efficiency, dedication, and commitment to excellence in serving our community. It is also a timely reminder of how public works services play into the daily lives of the people who enjoy being in Muskoka, also aligning with the start of National Public Works Week, taking place next week.

This summer, District Council will be presented with this prestigious OPWA Award during a regularly scheduled meeting, where the hard work and dedication of the entire team will be celebrated from both the Town of Huntsville and District.

The post Diggin Downtown Receives Project Of The Year Award appeared first on Muskoka411.

When the construction project started in 2021 many businesses were struggling with pandemic-related impacts, therefore a strategic marketing and communications plan was developed to support activities and ensure adaptability during changing situations. The “Diggin Downtown” campaign focused on efforts to bring awareness to the project, reasons for disruptions and delivered consistent information – when pandemic restrictions brought uncertainty. The Diggin’ Downtown project team worked alongside property owners to ensure the community was aware that businesses were ‘open for business’ – even when curbside pick-up was the only option and when construction was happening at their doorstep.

Mayor Nancy Alcock congratulated the joint efforts of the Town, District of Muskoka and community partners,

“The Collaboration between both the Town and District was a key ingredient in making the Diggin’ Downtown project a huge success. From the very beginning, there was a strong focus on joint planning, communication and community engagement and it really shows when you look at what was accomplished here. Well done Diggin’ Downtown project team!”

Throughout this project, the team relied on continued feedback from the community to guide decisions. The Diggin’ Downtown project is a success due to the patience and understanding of those affected who experienced disruptions, detours, inconveniences and closures. Construction projects can be challenging in many ways, and navigating a project of this size and importance through the pandemic was not easy. Creative and unique approaches to marketing and communication outreach activities were introduced to ensure the needs of our community were met, and the information was delivered on time.

Lisa Spolnik, Marketing Manager at the Town of Huntsville and Quinn Michell, Communications Manager at the District of Muskoka, expressed their enthusiasm when receiving the news of the award and both attribute this to a team effort, involving many team members and partners from across the District,

“The Diggin’ Downtown project team is honoured to be recognized with a Marketing Canada Award. Despite the ongoing challenges and shifting strategies construction projects often bring – our team remained committed to delivering valuable information to keep our community informed,” said Spolnik.

“This award acknowledges the years of planning and passion from partners from both Town and District teams, and puts a spotlight on the communication efforts that supported one of the largest infrastructure improvement projects in our area, so far,” echoed Michell.

Sharing our Success with Industry Experts

The Diggin’ Downtown project was also recognized at the Right of Way (ROW) Conference, in October. Members from the project team hosted a session for delegates from municipalities, road authorities, utility companies, consultants, contractors, and associations about the project, entitled “Diggin’ Downtown – A Collaborative Approach to Urban Core Reconstruction in the Town of Huntsville.”

District of Muskoka’s Director of Engineering and Transportation, Mark Misko, reflects on the project success,

“We relied on the feedback from our community to guide our decisions, this project was a success because of the patience and understanding by all those affected. Construction projects can be challenging in many ways, and navigating through the pandemic was not an easy task. I am proud of all the people who collaborated on this project. It was a community-driven project and the opportunity to share our successes and learnings with industry experts, is evidence of the great work District and Town partners can accomplish, together.”

The Diggin’ Downtown project is now complete in Downtown Huntsville. Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit downtown to check out the new streetscape design and continue to shop local this holiday season!

The post Diggin’ Downtown Construction Project Receives Industry Recognition appeared first on Muskoka411.

Please take the survey to share your feedback.

The survey closes on October 21.

The post Diggin’ Downtown Public Survey Closes Soon appeared first on Muskoka411.

The Town of Huntsville and District of Muskoka are pleased to announce Diggin’ Downtown road closures and detours will lift by end of day Friday, June 17, 2022 and Caroline Street will be reopened to two-way traffic, as construction enters the fifth and final stage of the project.

The post Diggin’ Downtown Enters Final Stage Of Construction appeared first on Muskoka411.

Starting Tuesday, May 31, 2022, Diggin’ Downtown construction road restrictions for motorists will be as follows:

• Continued 3-way stop at the Main Street and Centre Street intersection controlled by stop signs and traffic signals in a red flash
• Main Street will be closed from Centre Street to Lorne Street
• One-way traffic continues on Caroline Street
• View the Detour Map at Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

What’s next?

Finishing of Main Street from Lorne to Centre:
Crews will continue work on Main Street between Lorne Street and Centre Street, focusing on preparing road/sidewalk granulars followed by concrete curb and sidewalk, base asphalt and streetscaping items.

Preparation for a Final Coat of Asphalt:
Construction crews will be working on Main Street between Centre and the Bridge, to prepare these areas for the final coat of asphalt. This work will be completed under flagging, and disruptions can be expected to accommodate this work.

New Schedule:
In mid-June, we look forward to sharing a revised schedule to announce our anticipated completion date this summer.

The Town and District of Muskoka would like to thank the community for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during this construction project. For more information please visit huntsville.ca/diggindowntown.

The post Diggin’ Downtown Detour Changes May 31 appeared first on Muskoka411.

• Main Street West will remain closed from Lorne Street to Centre Street
• Lorne Street will be closed from Minerva Street West to Caroline Street West
• Access to resident driveways on Lorne Street will be maintained throughout the closure
• Caroline Street West continues as a one-way street in front of Huntsville Public School between Centre Street and Lorne Street
• The detour for east and west bound traffic will be routed onto Centre Street South, Florence Street West and Yonge Street South
• Main Street West between Yonge Street and Lorne Street will be available to local traffic only
• View the detour map at Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

School Safety Reminders:
Caroline Street will continue to operate as a one-way street to ensure the continued safety of our community members and students. We ask that motorists drive with extreme caution and follow the postage signage.

Thank you for your Patience:

Detours have been a normal part of navigating downtown Huntsville this spring and we appreciate the patience, understanding and support our community continues to provide downtown businesses and construction crews. Businesses are open, and pedestrian access is available throughout the downtown core.

With spring weather, high traffic volumes are expected downtown throughout the day and during commuting hours. Please plan your travel in advance, respect the flagging crews and continue to use alternate routes or the detour routes at Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

Diggin’ Downtown is the largest construction project undertaken in our community in many years – we’re working as quickly as possible to resume normal traffic operations in the downtown core. Please drive safely and follow the one-way posted street signage for the safety of our community.

The post Diggin’ Downtown Detour Changes And Lorne Street Restrictions appeared first on Muskoka411.

Flaggers will be onsite at the Main Street and Lorne Street intersection to minimize disruptions and keep traffic moving. Delays should be expected during peak times, especially before and after-school hours. Residents are advised to plan their trips in advance and leave extra time for travel.  Be sure to follow posted detours, road markings and posted signage for one-way streets as construction activities continue around the downtown core.

Effective Wednesday, May 11, 2022, the following changes will be in effect:

• Construction continues in the Lorne Street / Main Street intersection
• Lorne Street North will be closed to traffic from Main Street West to Caroline Street
• Lorne Street South will be reopened to traffic
• One-way traffic continues on Caroline Street West (to Lorne Street North)
• Flaggers will be onsite at the Main Street and Lorne Street intersection to assist with traffic
• For detour routes visit Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

The post Diggin’ Downtown Lorne Street Detour Update appeared first on Muskoka411.

Flaggers will be onsite at the Main Street and Lorne Street intersection to minimize disruptions and keep traffic moving. Delays should be expected during peak times, especially before and after-school hours. Residents are advised to plan their trips in advance and leave extra time for travel.  Be sure to follow posted detours, road markings and posted signage for one-way streets as construction activities continue around the downtown core. Please visit Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown for updated detour routes or refer to the Municipal 511 map.

Effective Thursday, May 5, 2022, the following changes will be in effect:

• Construction continues in the Lorne Street / Main Street intersection
• Main Street West will be closed from Lorne Street to Centre Street
• Lorne Street South will be closed to traffic from Main Street West to Minerva Street West
• One-way traffic continues on Caroline Street West (to Lorne Street North)
• Flaggers will be onsite at the Main Street and Lorne Street intersection to assist with traffic
• For detour routes visit Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

The post Diggin’ Downtown Lorne Street Intersection Construction Update appeared first on Muskoka411.

The District and Town of Huntsville are continuously monitoring traffic patterns and adjusting timing at signalized intersections – re-opening the Centre Street intersection to 3-way traffic will keep traffic moving while final work is completed. Please continue to follow posted detours and road markings as construction activities continue around the downtown core.

 Effective Friday, April 29, 2022 the following changes will be in effect:

• The Main Street and Centre Street intersection will be open to 3-way traffic and controlled by stop signs and traffic signals in a red flash
• Main Street will continue to be closed from Centre Street to Lorne Street
• One-way traffic continues on Caroline Street and Lorne Street North
• View the Detour Map at Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

What’s next?

In the coming weeks, there will be restrictions in the Lorne Street area and traffic delays can be expected while crews continue the replacement of underground water, sewer and storm infrastructure. Stay updated by visiting Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown and following @TownHuntsville on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Diggin’ Downtown Construction Update appeared first on Muskoka411.

The District and Town of Huntsville have continuously monitored traffic patterns and adjusted the timing at signalized intersections to keep traffic moving. Adjustments have been made to local streets on the established detour route to ensure pedestrian and motorist safety and reduce delays. Signage will be in effect to help direct residents and communicate these changes.

Effective March 24, 2022, the following adjustments will be added to the established detour:

• the previous one-way section of West Street North will be a two-way street
• all-way stop will be in place at the intersection of Main Street/West Street and Centre Street/Caroline Street
• the previous one-way section at Lorne Street between Minerva Street and Main Street will be a two-way street
• link to detour map – Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown

The project team would like to thank the community for their continued patience and cooperation throughout this project. The Town understands the inconvenience these detours and restrictions bring, and are working to complete this work as quickly as possible. Please follow the posted signage along the designated detour routes.

The post Diggin Downtown Detour Update appeared first on Muskoka411.