MCA Contracting is the winning bidder on an $8.85-million contract to rehabilitate the Main Street in downtown North Bay.
The city announced on March 30 that the Sudbury-based contracting firm would undertake a two-year project to upgrade the street’s surface infrastructure — the first work of its kind to be done in 40 years.
Of the five bids placed, MCA’s was the lowest, which provided the “best overall value” to the city, according to a news release.
Expected to get underway in May, the work will take place along Main Street, between Cassells and Sherbrooke Streets, and on Ferguson Street between Main and Oak Streets.
“It will be the first major renovation to Main Street in nearly 40 years, involving replacement of surface infrastructure including new asphalt roadway, brushed concrete and exposed aggregate sidewalks, curb and gutter, retaining walls, stairs, railings, benches, traffic lights, festoon lighting and other ancillary works,” the city said.
“The work will begin at Cassells Street and will proceed block by block toward Sherbrooke. Each block is expected to take up to three months to complete. Only once a block has been fully reconstructed will the contractor proceed to the next block.”
The revitalization of North Bay’s Main Street was identified as a priority as far back as 2017 as part of the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan. The 20-year visioning exercise takes into account the city’s economic development, socioeconomic and cultural interests.
