Grand River Street North in Paris is now officially reopened to traffic, marking the completion of Phase 2 of the Downtown Dig.
Part of an extensive multi-year project to replace critical infrastructure in Downtown Paris, the Downtown Dig has been ongoing since 2024 when initial work began along West River Street.
In spring 2025, major construction transitioned to Grand River Street North, between the Nith River Bridge and William Street.
Some of the work included replacing aging water and sewer lines, upgrading gas and electrical utilities, installing newly widened sidewalks, reconstructing roads, improving streetscape and accessibility features, adding digital features and enhancing climate resiliency. Angled parking along Grand River Street North was also converted to parallel parking and a municipal parking lot was built to accommodate visitors.
After months of work, the main downtown street reopened to the drivers after the Jingle Bell Nights event on November 21.
Work on the project later resumed on April 8, 2026, once again closing Grand River Street North to traffic from Mechanic Street to Charlotte Street and extending the work down the William Street Bridge.
Now, just over six months after the start of construction season, residents and business owners alike, as well as visitors, can experience a sense of normalcy once again.
While the main intersection at William Street and Grand River Street reopened to the public on Friday, October 23, there was a temporary road closure on Grand River Street North, between Mechanic Street and the Nith River Bridge for final paving work, though the entirety of the stretch officially opened on Wednesday, October 28, allowing drivers to move through the downtown core with ease.
Emily Street, Charlotte Street and Broadway Street East returned to normal two-way traffic flows as well.
If taking a stroll through Paris’ downtown, visitors will notice new landscaping, as well as a freshly painted rainbow Pride sidewalk and a commemorative Veteran’s crosswalk near Mechanic Street to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Many businesses have since taken to social media to share their excitement of the downtown’s reopening. Both The Rustic Palm and the Dog Eared Café uploaded videos with captions like, “Today is a very exciting day” and “It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for!” respectively.
In a new release from Wednesday, October 28, the County extended its gratitude for everyone’s patience throughout the last two years.
“A huge thank you to our downtown businesses, residents and visitors for your patience, understanding and continued support throughout construction,” the news release stated. “Despite the construction, Downtown Paris continued to shine! Thank you to everyone who visited the Downtown Paris Promenade, celebrated at Riverfest, explored the local markets or enjoyed a complimentary Tasty Road Trip. Your support helped keep our downtown vibrant throughout the season. A special thank you to the Downtown Paris BIA and its Board of Management for their collaboration, creativity and dedication over the past two years.”
And while the next phase of the Downtown Dig project was supposed to restart in 2027 and continue on for a number of years, the County of Brant have since decided to put the project on hold for one year.
Despite mitigation efforts such as walking tours, summer events and the addition of the Downtown Paris Promenade, throughout the entire process, residents, and business owners in particular, took to social media to express their concerns around reduced foot-traffic and customer access to downtown, ongoing road closures and detours.
When Emery Silva, owner of Bird and Bee Vintage and Le Petit Marché, attended a Council meeting on July 21, 2026, she asked that the County consider putting a pause on a project, saying that while infrastructure improvements may be necessary, she, among other downtown businesses, needed a break from back-to-back construction seasons.
“When our downtown is difficult to access, navigate, or enjoy, it affects the experience of visitors and can discourage people from coming and returning,” Silva stated. “Paris has always been known as one of the prettiest little towns in Canada, and certainly one of the prettiest in Ontario. But the beauty of Paris has never been just about how the streets look; it’s about our character. Over the past two years, I believe we have lost some of that image. The Big Dig branding and dust bowl atmosphere have overshadowed our identity as a town.”
Following her presentation, David Mellor, General Manager of Operations for the municipality, confirmed that the County was already planning on putting a hold on downtown construction in 2027.
The next phase of the project is now expected to continue in 2028, and extend to 2030.
The work yet to be done includes: Full underground replacement and street-scaping on Mechanic Street, between Grand River Street North to West River Street; Broadway Street West, between Mechanic Street to William Street; William Street, between Broadway Street to Grand River Street North; and the municipal parking lot behind Council Chambers.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
