They were once part of an industrial hub - a North American industrial hub. But Cornwall's old cotton mills are empty now. Some are boarded up and gutted.

Sitting along the shores of the St. Lawrence River, their location is ideal for redevelopment. With high ceilings, soaring windows and exposed brick, these buildings, built around the 1850s, are perfect for offices and lofts.

That's the vision of the Renaissance Group, a consortium of Cornwall business leaders, community representatives and residents. They plan to breathe new life into 16 kilometres of waterfront property.

Their plan grew from consultations with people living in the surrounding areas, says Chuck Charlebois, the group's spokesman. For citizens, the issues were poor housing and increasing crime rates. For church leaders, they were declining congregations and funds. For area businesses, the main complaint was competition from the large franchise stores on the edge of town.

The Ontario government has contributed $100,000 to the group's efforts. The city and waterfront property owners have matched that amount. The group will use the money to conduct an environmental study and build a model unit to encourage further development along the waterfront.

The Vision
Cornwall is a small city in eastern Ontario with a population of 47,000. Like many Canadian cities, it's in transition, trying to rebuild areas that have long been underused or abandoned.

The Renaissance Group is heading up redevelopment along the city's waterfront. The groups's spokesman, Chuck Charlebois, has big plans for what the area will look like 10 years from now.

He envisions 150 lofts and condominiums built specifically to meet local demands. That could mean student housing, condos for ageing baby boomers and modified units for people with disabilities. He also imagines cafés, hair salons and other commercial spaces to support residents 24 hours a day. For tourists, he sees a small museum, a few theatres and a marina. "We'd want cruise ships to stop here," he says.

Smart Growth
The plans for revitalizing Cornwall's waterfront area are consistent with Smart Growth, the government's long-term strategy for promoting and managing growth in ways that sustain a strong economy, build strong communities and promote a healthy environment. Brownfield development is a key component of Smart Growth.

Like the old cotton mills along Cornwall's waterfront, brownfields are former industrial or commercial sites that sit unused or abandoned. Developing them makes economic sense because they're usually close to existing services and transportation. That means they don't require the same kind of investment in infrastructure as greenfields or farmland.

But brownfields are often contaminated and cleaning them up can be time-consuming and costly. Once the contaminants are gone, however, the surrounding environment benefits. So does quality of life for area residents.

For more information:

The Web sites listed below may have been created by or for organizations outside of the Ontario government, and those organizations are responsible for the information contained within their respective sites. These sites might not be available in French. Any specific comments or inquiries regarding those sites should be directed to the individual organization.

Cornwall - www.city.cornwall.on.ca/home.htm
Renaissance Group - www.grouperenaissance.com
Smart Growth - www.smartgrowth.gov.on.ca

This article is from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs Web Site