Proposal for a New Downtown Conference Centre

Here in Kingston, we are fortunate to have one of the best and most beautiful downtowns anywhere in the country. Keeping the downtown strong and vibrant requires finding new ways to bring more people into the downtown to sustain our local shops and small businesses. A great example is the proposal for a new downtown conference centre. At our City Council meeting next week, we will discuss a plan to redevelop this city-owned property next to the Leon’s Centre. The future of this space offers much more than a conference centre. Residents and visitors alike could enjoy everything from a hotel, restaurant, and housing to more street-level shops and a multi-level parking garage.

Council is exploring a unique approach where the conference centre could be built and operated without having to raise property taxes. By choosing this site and using the City’s brownfield funding program and dollars from the municipal accommodation tax, this exciting new development offers Kingston an opportunity to welcome thousands of additional visitors to our city. Many of these visitors will help to sustain downtown small businesses during the fall, winter and spring seasons when tourist visits are lower. Next week I’ll be asking Council to take the next step toward an exciting new addition to Queen Street that will keep our downtown vibrant for many years to come.