St. Catharines, Ontario
Port Dalhousie in St. Catharines, Ontario, has a long history marked by its location at the intersection of Lake Ontario shoreline and the mouth of the 12 Mile Creek. Once an important canal terminus and service location for the first three Welland Canals, Port Dalhousie is one of the best-preserved 19th-century canal villages in Canada. Key to the future of Port Dalhousie is development which manages to strengthen the vitality of the area as well as preserve the natural and cultural heritage that makes Port Dalhousie a unique place.
Royal Port, an 'inspired form of modern heritage,' will help strengthen the vitality of the area and preserve the natural and cultural heritage that makes Port Dalhousie a unique place. This 8-storey project includes 51 upscale suites as well as a new facility for Legion Branch 350, helping to enhance a historic Legion Branch. The building will incorporate a mixture of high-quality, modern materials. The proposed balconies are designed to be sympathetic to the existing heritage structures by not distracting from the brick used on the façade. The lower storey provides generous glazing that invites interaction and the building’s podium uses a masonry façade, responding to at-grade conditions and enhancing visual interest.
The proposed walkways on-site that connect to and around the building will promote safe pedestrian linkages to the Harbour Walkway Trail and to the public right-of-way. This will benefit the development and surrounding area given its close proximity to local amenities such as public park to the southwest, public transit, and commercial uses to the north. By using clear glazing and brick, the design respects the heritage character in a contemporary way and complements the materiality of the site's heritage.
Construction on Royal Port is expected to finish in 2022.