Francis Lane in Elora to become pedestrian walkway

ELORA – Kristy Hillis and Don Kogan are continuing with their plan to beautify downtown Elora.

On Jan. 29, Centre Wellington council agreed to sell Francis Lane to Kat Florence Corp. Ltd., Hillis’ business, for $160,000 to create a pedestrian walkway.

Francis Lane runs between the Mrs. Greenway shop and the Green Space parkade and continues on behind the Gorge Cinema.

Over the last few years, Hillis and Kogan have bought several downtown properties with an overall vision of rehabilitating the historic buildings and beautifying the downtown core.

Already they have completed renovations on The Badley restaurant at the corner of Mill Street East and Metcalfe Street and the Gorge Cinema on Mill Street West.

The rest of that building – the former Commercial Hotel – is in the midst of renovations.

Last fall council agreed to allow for the construction of an awning over the sidewalk, much like the original façade.

Part of the overall vision is to create a pedestrian walkway on Francis Lane to provide an alternate route to the movie house, the Elora Mews next door, which the couple also owns, and the hustle and bustle on Mill Street West.

Kogan told the Advertiser in a previous interview the couple hopes to redo the laneway with a cobblestone look that would add to the charm of the downtown core.

Council discussed the sale of the township-owned laneway in closed session immediately before the open council meeting and unanimously voted in favour of the sale in open session.