Conception Bay | 9
The vision of the Main Street Business Im-
provement Association is to establish Main
Street as a distinct urban district within the
Town. By creating a safe and attractive street-
scape, interesting and accessible public spac-
es, and a diverse mix of shops, services and
housing, they aim to transform the area into
“a significant core of a thriving local busi-
ness community, and an exciting destination
for local residents and visitors alike.”
As part of the Main Street Improvement
Plan, Conception Bay South is currently
developing a Harbour Plaza concept, which
will eventually see the creation of a new public
space and include construction of a large pier
behind Main Street’s row of businesses. It is
anticipated that this pier will be wide enough
to accommodate a variety of public events,
including an outdoor market, public concerts
and festivals.
Harbour Plaza will be located adjacent to a
110-acre water lot in Conception Bay South’s
central core, which the Town recently acquired
from the federal government. Earlier this year,
Mayor Tessier said in a speech that Council is
confident the Harbour Plaza development “is
realistic, and will become a major attraction
within the Town.”
High standards
Even as Conception Bay South looks to
the future, it is keeping a close eye on the
environment and the sustainability of its
municipal actions. Being a coastal community,
Council recognizes that the Town is vulnerable
to the effects of climate change, including
sea level rise, adverse weather events such
as hurricanes and resultant flooding and
storm surges, and coastal erosion. As such,
it is doing all it can to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
In 2012, the Town adopted a Greenhouse
Gas Mitigation Plan; the next year, it started
a bi-weekly curb-side recycling program for
paper, cardboard, and plastic containers.
Most recently, the Town constructed three
municipal buildings (a Town Hall, a Fire
Station, and an Arena) to LEED (Leadership
Energy and Environmental Design) certified
standards, at an approximate cost of
$35 million. Each building incorporated
geothermal wells for heating/cooling,
sustainable materials that reduced the carbon
footprint, and waste material diversion.
The Town’s new arena also includes an
advanced refrigeration-heating system that
recycles the heat removed from the ice surface