- New businesses added to downtown Essex,
parking lot improvements initiated for Tim Hortons -
by Sylene Argent
Essex Centre’s business district is continuously changing. Here are some of the recent highlights.
• On Friday, members of the Town of Essex Council and Administration welcomed Watson & Slade to 70 Talbot Street North by hosting a ribbon cutting.
Essex Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche brought greetings on behalf of the Town. He said the local business is a phenomenal addition to the Essex Centre business core, and he was happy to welcome it and wish it luck in its future endeavours.
“We are hoping they will be here for a long time,” he said.
Meloche was particularly impressed with how the barbershop provides men’s shaves, and how it caters to wedding parties.
• Jersey Girl Pet Grooming Salon recently opened at 138 Talbot Street North, Unit 4. Owner, Penny Edwards, has been a groomer for 10-years, and is pleased to open her own shop in Essex Centre.
• According to a report presented to Council at the October 18 meeting, there is an open Community Improvement Plan (CIP) application, that has yet to receive funding, for the former Dahl House building. This includes grants for Rehabilitation, Façade Improvement, Development Permit Fees, Accessible Entrance, and Architectural Design. The report notes work is in progress.
Other CIP program open applications, that have yet to receive funding, for Essex Centre include: grants for Landscape & Buffering, Façade Improvement, and Development Permit Fee for Balanced Life Wellness Centre; Façade Improvement Grant for Little House of Cupcakes; and Façade Improvement and Accessible Entrance grants for Walkerville Candles/EC K9 and Blimeys British Store and Gift Shop.
CIP applications received in the third-quarter from Essex Centre businesses include an Accessible Entrance Grant for 68 Talbot Street North. Completed projects that have received CIP funding in 2021 in Essex Centre include a Façade Improvement Grant for each the Essex Free Press and Wine O’Willie’s.
CIP is a municipal grant program commercial businesses, in a specific boundary, can apply to tap into.
• Work has started on the parking lot at the Tim Hortons at the corner of Maidstone Avenue and Talbot Street. At the Monday, August 23 regular Council meeting, Council approved amending the existing Site Plan Control Agreement between the Corporation of the Town of Essex and K.S. Crowder Enterprises Inc. (Norene Investments), for the reduction of six required off-street parking spaces.
In the Report to Council, it noted that in an effort to alleviate safety concerns for traffic entering and exiting the premise, and to provide better service for restaurant patrons, the applicants, K.S. Crowder Enterprises Inc., wished to widen the entrance into the parking area from Maidstone Avenue and construct a dual lane drive-through.
As a result of the modification, the required number of parking spaces under Bylaw 260 will be reduced by six for a total of 23 parking spaces, the Report to Council added.