Email icon Back to Search

At its next meeting, Town of Milton Council will consider whether to begin building a civic gathering place that could anchor downtown Milton for decades to come.

When fully built, the Civic Precinct would create a pedestrian-focused town square between the Town Hall forecourt and Main St. E. It would relocate municipal parking to create a flexible and walkable social space bordered by cafés, restaurants, and shops.

“Multiple Milton Town Councils have affirmed the Civic Precinct as a project of strategic significance,” said Andy Scott, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives.” The precinct responds to our community’s desire for downtown placemaking and continues to position Milton as A Place of Possibility.”

The Civic Precinct concept grew out of feedback received through multiple rounds of public engagement. It can be summarized in five objectives endorsed by Council:

  1. Civic presence as an anchor in the downtown
  2. Build on the existing heritage
  3. Create a vibrant public realm — a destination for the entire community
  4. Have a pedestrian-friendly, interactive community space
  5. Placemaking for the entire community

Phases of the Civic Precinct project:

Phase 1 (present to 2031)

  • Create new public space between Town Hall and private properties fronting Main St. E.
  • Enhance Mary St. to allow pedestrian-only setups for special occasions, while accommodating vehicle traffic along main roads
  • Permit Main St. E. businesses to incorporate the precinct into their plans, if they choose, with south-facing patios, eateries, and more

Phase 2 (2031 to 2045)

  • Support private development of blocks on the east and west sides of the precinct, shrinking municipal parking area as parking spaces open at new sites
  • Refine the precinct as a pedestrian-friendly hub with a range of uses on weekdays, weekends, and holidays

Phase 3 (2045 to 2051)

  • Make the precinct fully walkable if all downtown parking is moved to a nearby location

Next steps

Downtown parking will remain a priority through the Civic Precinct’s development. The Town has secured an alternate downtown parking location on Millside Dr. to replace parking repurposed for the precinct. Municipal parking will remain free and will only shift incrementally as the precinct develops.

If approved, staff would initiate a bid process in 2025 to start the design phase, including collecting community input on design concepts.

For more details and illustrations, please see the July 14 Council report.