Discovering Downtown St. Thomas
Photo: Avelea Thorne and Andrew Gunn of young & free press wandered along Talbot Street recently in downtown St. Thomas to capture the ongoing transformation of the area. There are challenges and opportunities everywhere – in fact, the neighbourhood is at a fascinating point.
Discovering Downtown St. Thomas
Right now, there are two fun ways to discover downtown St. Thomas. First, the simple method … walk the neighbourhood, check out the shops and restaurants, and get a sense of the people living and working there. Second, the mysterious approach … wander the area, absorb the artwork and historical notes, and watch and listen for clues about the past and future of the community. Both options are available to residents and visitors, and we have done a bit of each recently!
Here is the set-up: downtown St. Thomas features one long thoroughfare called Talbot Street, a legacy of the prominent railway industry. Historically the commercial area built up along the tracks, west-to-east, with very few north-south digressions. For decades, this has made the automobile the dominant mode of transportation downtown, which may be convenient for some but does not necessarily facilitate an active, vibrant core. Cars are loud, fast, and take up a lot of space. St. Thomas needs strategies to make the area multi-dimensional. We need people walking and cycling downtown. We need events. We need housing of all kinds, from shelters to affordable accommodations to up-scale and luxury units. We need arts, culture & recreation. We need opportunities for teenagers and young adults to feel connected to the downtown.
The good news is that there are people in the community actively striving to enhance the downtown, and the trend overall is positive. Consider the following … the City of St. Thomas has implemented a ‘Complete Streets’ policy, which aims to improve streetscapes across the community progressively by considering all modes of transportation, infrastructure requirements, and aesthetic qualities. Several blocks at the west end of Talbot Street have already been refreshed with more to be renewed over the next few years. Our team at young & free press has worked closely with the St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation and Railway City Tourism to curate the ongoing ‘Track to the Future’ mural project, and now there is a lot of spectacular artwork throughout the downtown! Additionally, the ‘Engage’ augmented reality app brings local history and culture to life. There are a number of housing projects underway, too, including a new homeless shelter on Princess Avenue and micro-accommodations above the municipal transit building on Talbot Street. Seasons Retirement Communities has built a lovely new complex for seniors at the corner of Centre and Ross streets. We are excited as well to see the development of the Alma College Square Luxury Apartments nearby, and a variety of infill projects coming together spurred by our dynamic local home-builders.
What shops and restaurants do we recommend for anyone walking downtown? Our focus at the moment is on all the new spots that have popped up during the pandemic. Looking for a shot of rock n’ roll? Check out Records & Relics at 347 Talbot Street … the interior design is eclectic, for sure, and we encourage everyone to dive right in and search the stacks for new and vintage vinyl. How about a bite to eat? We have a couple new favourite spots downtown, including Mr. and Mrs. Bao at 546 Talbot Street (definitely try one of the bowls) and of course Shelby’s at 737 Talbot Street (the bowls are fantastic here, too, and we love the shawarma poutine). For the best local food-culture experience in the city, make sure to visit the Horton Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings … there are dozens of vendors, and customers flock to the site.
Julie Couwenberghs & Madison Comfort of young & free press stopped by the new Mr. & Mrs. Bao location at 546 Talbot Street. The space is looking beautiful both indoors and outdoors.
Want to dig a bit deeper and find the hints of local psychogeography? Begin with a tour of the murals around downtown. Be sure to check out the ‘Strange Adventures’ wall by Denial, located at the back of the Century Sound plaza at 930 Talbot Street … this is a salute to growing up in the Railway City, complete with references to Joe Thornton, Rachel McAdams and Thomas the Tank Engine! Slide west toward the Elgin County Railway Museum, where a series of boxcars have been reinvented featuring work by artists Laura Woermke, Mediah, SBUONE, Chris Golding, Grayden Laing, and Jaclyn White. There are lots of murals by Mediah throughout the downtown, including at the Ignite Youth Centre, CTP Computers, and in the ‘Willowsheen’ alley at 632 Talbot Street … this spot comes with a bonus experience if you download the Engage augmented reality app! Definitely view the stunning ‘Heroes’ mural by Andrew Lewis next to the Veterans Memorial Garden on Moore Street, and then amble over to the St. Thomas Public Library where artwork by artists Meaghan Claire Kehoe and Nancy Deleary provide a remarkable visual experience. If you want the classic ‘Wings’ moment, drop by the Canada Post office at 403 Talbot Street and step into the St. Thomas version of the concept by famed international artist Kelsey Montague.
Our vision for downtown St. Thomas is to have something beautiful & surprising around every corner. Catch a glimpse of the ‘Willowsheen’ mural by Mediah in the alley beside ‘A Handmade Tale’ on Talbot Street.
We have been working with Railway City Tourism on a series of elephant murals around the community, revisiting the history and mythology of Jumbo. Find new pieces by Kristyn Watterworth at the St. Thomas Elevated Park, Ann-Marie Cheung at the Railway City Tourism office, and Laura Woermke at the Joe Thornton Community Centre. After all this downtown exploring, head over to Railway City Brewing to see the beautiful elephant mural by SBUONE.
For a complete list of local murals, check out the Railway City Tourism page on street art.
What possibilities do we envision for the downtown? We love the new dedicated bike lane on Centre Street and the growing network of walking and cycling trails in the community. We would like to see more of this, and a greater emphasis on highlighting active transportation visually … there are a lot of people who cycle, skateboard and ride scooters in St. Thomas, and we need to celebrate the environmental, economic and cultural benefits of these modes of transportation! Watch for the new mural by Meaghan Claire Kehoe that our team is coordinating for the back of the Ignite Youth Centre downtown … this one will signal a change in the way people move in the area. Our vision is for animated and activated alleyways that draw people into the core.
In a future blog post, we’ll focus on the unique neighbourhoods in & around downtown, and how we are defining these areas through new pieces of cultural infrastructure. Special thanks to our friends at the St. Thomas Downtown Development Board, who work tirelessly to support businesses in the core and attract residents and visitors to come explore … the downtown is getting more and more compelling.
