City council is expected to get a major update on the future of the Cooper block in the downtown core at its meeting at city hall on Monday night.
The ad-hoc Grand Trunk Renewal Committee is studying ideas for the 18-acre, city-owned property, and will present key recommendations and update their progress.
Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma said the presentation will include discussion on partnerships, construction, and expressions of interest on the site.
“So council will have an opportunity to hear, ask questions, debate and then refer and give direction back to the ad-hoc committee.”
The YMCA of Three Rivers and the University of Waterloo Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business are currently located on the site.
Part of the site formerly housed the CNR Locomotive Repair shops, once the city’s largest employer, and there are still remnants of old buildings.
There are also more than 450 parking spots at the site.
The ad-hoc committee is a mixture of city staff and residents with varying expertise and backgrounds.
Dan Mathieson, former mayor of Stratford, chairs the committee.
