Business View Civil and Municipal | March 2021

193 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL MARCH 2021 sector. Tecumseh, as part of the County and with Windsor, is helping to fund a new multi-billion dollar regional hospital to serve all of Essex County. According to McNamara, “We’ve been lobbying the Province for funding as this region deserves a 21st-century health care facility. The pandemic really showed our vulnerability. We are feeling confident in recent meetings with the Premier - that he understands this is the top priority for all Mayors in the region. We feel that this is a legacy project.” McNamara believes the $2.5 billion project will go far beyond just building a hospital. He notes, “It’s going to generate an economic boom for the surrounding area because hospitals need support systems and supplies. It’s right on our boundaries, so we see great opportunities.” To that end, the Town is finalizing planning documents to guide future development along the Banwell Road corridor between County Roads 22 and 42. These lands will accommodate up to 2,000 housing units, new commercial nodes and parks and trails, all of which will integrate with the existing community. Infrastructure needs and investments are planned to support the anticipated growth. In 2015, Council adopted the Tecumseh Road Main Street Community Improvement Plan (CIP) which applies to the area that represents Tecumseh’s historical commercial core. The vision is to revitalize the area and encourage private and public investment. Residential intensification has been one of many success stories, with more than 300 apartment style housing planned, under construction or completed in the CIP area. Tecumseh is looking forward to approximately $200 million in new and upgraded infrastructure on major roads managed by the County of Essex over the next 20 years. Projects will be happening on County Roads 42 and 43, (Banwell Road area), that ties into the new hospital site, less than five km up the road. Manning Road, the town’s north/south collector connecting to Highways 401 and 3, will also receive upgrades. Manning Road is adjacent to another future residential TECUMSEH , ONTAR IO