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Plans are just taking shape, and Londoners are invited to weigh in at a community meeting Wednesday evening.

Arielle Kayabaga, Ward 13 councillor-elect, said the proposed changes would help build up SoHo and foster better “neighbourhood connections.”

“It’s important to improve access to the river as we have a beautiful river and parks system that our community should be able to enjoy,” she said.

But she’s also cognizant of budget, saying the project should not exceed the $5 million earmarked by council for riverfront initiatives.

Alone, the forks of the Thames project – which includes an elevated boardwalk extending over the river, dubbed the “Ribbon of the Thames” – comes with a pricetag of $10 million to $12 million.

Politicians could also decide to tap another $3.77 million – the settlement from a long legal battle over the Springbank dam’s failed repair – that’s sitting in reserves.

The SoHo stage of the riverfront revitalization ties in with other plans for the up-and-coming neighbourhood, most notably the redevelopment of the old Victoria Hospital lands. A transformative project – including two apartment towers, restoration of a heritage building, and ground-floor retail space – is planned for a big chunk of the property, at Colborne and South streets.

“This project ties in the hospital lands now and how to make best use of that,” Macpherson said.

Medallion Corp., the builder behind the 391 South St. project on the largely-vacant hospital lands, also is including a public courtyard which would give pedestrians or cyclists on the street an easy path to the river.

“They all fit together,” Macpherson said of plans for the SoHo neighbourhood.

And the Thames River is a key part of many of those blueprints.

“We have this gem of a river, a Canadian heritage river, and we’d like to ensure we can enhance it ecologically and improve it for public use.”

mstacey@postmedia.com

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