Cambridge council approves study for permanent pedestrian-only conversion on Main St.

Push for pedestrian-friendly road closure A Cambridge councillor wants to shut down a section of Main Street to traffic. Colton Wiens finds out if businesses are backing the idea.

Cambridge city councillors have taken a big step toward the idea of making lower Main Street in Galt a permanent pedestrian-only space.

Council unanimously approved Coun. Adam Cooper’s motion calling for a staff study on the implications of a permanent closure, including the financial impact and transit considerations.

“I think it's in everyone's best interest to try and take the reins on this and ride with it and see what more we can do through the entire year,” said Coun. Cooper. “And turn this into a place that's similar to the tourism panache you get in Niagara-On-The-Lake, St. Jacobs, Elora. Why should they have all the fun? We can do it here. We've got the bridge, the river, the architecture, the cultural heritage, the people. Now all we need is the will.”

The idea was also endorsed by the Downtown Cambridge Business Improvement Area (BIA) who see it leading to bigger and better opportunities down the road.

“Festoon lighting, more staging for entertainment…all of these things can be looked at if it was a permanent closure,” said Biran Kennedy with the BIA. “[It] would certainly support more events, larger events, and would draw people and would be a big component to, I think, tourism in the downtown.”

City staff have agreed to draw up a report in time to consider for the city’s 2025 budget talks.