Note from Storm: The revitalization of downtown Oshawa, Ontario has been a long, hard struggle.
Most citizens would probably consider the recent, long-awaited renovation of the historic Genosha hotel building (in 2015) to be icing on a cake that’s been baking for decades. It had been a depressing, derelict eyesore for a dozen years, and is now a symbol of renewal.
An $8.5 million renovation Bowood Properties converted the hotel into an apartment building. The project was supported by both a federal grant and local tax incentives.
I’m very happy to see that the revitalization of downtown Oshawa has finally hit its stride.
I did a talk for the community, and met with the mayor and a number of local leaders about a decade ago, and can attest to many excellent efforts that have been put into this cause over a long period of time. (It certainly didn’t help when UOIT undermined the downtown recovery by building their main campus in a sprawl zone.)
Photo by P199.