In traditionally straight-laced London, it’s hard to imagine any single investment shaking things up more than the one city council approved late Wednesday.

In the latest sign this government is much different than its predecessors, the $15.9-million plan to turn a downtown stretch of Dundas Street into a pedestrian-first “flex street” was endorsed with near-unanimous political support.

Last term, it’s hard to imagine an idea like these even getting on a budget agenda.

Now, the plan that boosters believe could revolutionize downtown’s image and pump up property values will be a reality by the early 2020s.

“This will be a great draw for future development in the downtown,” said Coun. Tanya Park, whose ward includes the core.

So, what is a flex street?

It essentially means transforming a street into a public place, where pedestrians are the top priority over vehicles. It will run from the river to Wellington Street.

There are no curbs. They’re replaced by poles that can be moved to essentially create sidewalks during periods when vehicles are allowed, or wide-open pedestrian spaces at car-free times.

The four-block stretch — to be renamed Dundas Place — will be managed like a public venue with performers and events booked to enliven it during no-car periods.

Wednesday, many politicians were, perhaps understandably, anxious about the large price tag.

But only $2.4 million of the total cost is for street-level bells and whistles, or what staff call “street furniture.” The rest is for things like road improvements ($5.8 million) and water/sewer upgrades ($2.1 million).

Coun. Harold Usher has been on council since 2000, during which time city hall has invested tens of millions of dollars into projects that could revitalize London’s sagging core.

But flex street, he said Wednesday, could top them all.

“If we don’t fix Dundas Street, London is not going to be fixed,” Usher said. “This is going to . . . help to bring (downtown) back, more than anything else.”

Not everyone loved it.

“This is a project I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm for,” Coun. Phil Squire said, though he ultimately backed it. “The vast majority of people in my ward are not enthusiastic about this project.”

Mayor Matt Brown echoed Park’s comments about downtown driving London’s economy.

He referred to a point he made often during the 2014 campaign: while downtown is 0.4 per cent of London’s land mass, it produces five per cent of the property taxes — so investments that jack up downtown property values produce a bigger payoff in taxes than in other neighbourhoods.

The project has the support of nearby downtown merchants. Coun. Michael van Holst was the lone opposition vote.

pmaloney@postmedia.com

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