Rumour has it The Sputnik August 11, 2009 NewsThe 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)