The city of Brantford has big plans for its downtown core, specifically around the Colborne Street area. According to these plans:
• 41 decrepit buildings, some of which are still inhabited, would be purchased and revamped by a single developer
• The YMCA would establish a new sports and recreation centre on south Colborne
• Mohawk College would be expanded into the downtown area
• Laurier could expand to a campus of 10,000 students
• Pros: revitalized downtown core, focus on the expansion of post-secondary institutions, attracts business to Brantford
• Cons: unfair to Colborne businesses that have managed to thrive, forces current property owners to vacate, city would be paying high price for run-down property
• Estimated price tag: $11.5M (compared to $1.7M cost of demolishing 13 buildings to make way for Harmony square in 2002)