population that used to be a lot more seasonal is now becoming more permanent, 12 months of the year,” the mayor says. This change has prompted a need for more dining and shopping opportunities throughout the year.“Before, especially in the Grand Bend area, many restaurants would close in the fall and not reopen until the summer. Now, we have many more year-round businesses operating in that area.” INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS Lambton Shores is experiencing a significant transformation. It is focusing on innovative infrastructure catering to its residents and the thriving tourism sector. Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McAuley shares insights into the municipality’s strategic developments reshaping the area. “In Grand Bend, we’ve seen a real change,” McAuley states.He elaborates on the mixed-use developments that are now common in the area. “We typically see commercial use on the bottom of a three-story building with residential units on top. This is a real shift for Grand Bend.”These developments, featuring rental units and condos, enhance the beachfront theme, with shops and restaurants occupying the ground floors. In addition to these mixed-use buildings, Lambton Shores is establishing new public amenities. “We just placed and opened one of the first self-cleaning washrooms in the area,” McAuley explains. This $500,000 investment marks the introduction of a year-round facility, a first for Grand Bend, which previously had only seasonal washrooms. “This allows us to have washrooms open to the public all year round down there. We’re excited about that.” McAuley also discusses the ripple effect of infrastructure projects in Forest, mainly centered around the new “super school” being built by the Lambton-Kent District School Board. “It’s a school that will house students from kindergarten all the way to grade 12,” he says, describing it as a $40 million project. The construction of this state-ofthe-art educational facility has spurred further development in the area, including new restaurants and retail expansions around the local grocery store. 239 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 LAMBTON SHORES, ON
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