The Town of Oakville is spending $7.5 million to rebuild Towne Square, the space where Downtown Oakville lights its holiday tree, and the 2026 tree lighting is still on the square. The Town wrote the holidays into the construction plan. A four-month stop sits in the middle of the schedule as its own numbered stage, and work on the central plaza doesn't start until February.
The pause is the clearest example of how this project has been planned all along. Downtown's calendar of patios, summer events and the holiday season has decided when the work happens. The construction schedule has had to fit around it.
A project that has waited for the calendar before
Towne Square has been a downtown gathering place for more than 35 years. Council first approved its reconstruction in 2018. The pandemic paused it in 2020. Construction was set to start in January 2026, but council paused it again so there would be no construction downtown during the summer of 2026. That's according to Oakville News.
The cost has grown too. Oakville News reported that the estimate in October 2025 was $4.3 million. The total is now $7.5 million, and the list of work grew during this year's revisions. The Town's procurement record shows the construction contract was awarded on September 14, 2026.
In May 2026, council approved what staff called an "Optimal Phasing Plan." Staff described the work to Oakville News as phases "designed to maintain access to downtown businesses, residences, and activities throughout the project." That phrase covers more than the businesses. It also explains why the plan's middle stage is a stop.
The edges first, one storefront at a time
The Town's stakeholder report divides the job into ten stages based on whose shop each part of the square sits in front of. The idea is that only the frontage of one tenant, or a small group of tenants, is under full construction at any given time. The report also explains why each frontage needs its own window. Towne Square sits on top of a parking garage, and the condition of the garage slab can't be known until the old waterproofing is removed. In most frontages the work means new granular base, pavers and waterproofing over that slab.
The sequence, as approved in May 2026:
| Stage | Frontage | Planned timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soontorn Bahn Thai and Raymond James | Fall 2026 |
| 2 | 7Enoteca, east side | Fall 2026 |
| 3 | Hexagon, south side | Fall 2026 |
| 4 | Burrows Clothiers, north-west corner | Fall 2026 |
| 5 | Towne Square Gallery, west side | Oct 30 to Nov 9, 2026 |
| 6 | Over-winter pause, no construction | Nov 2026 to Feb 2027 |
| 7 | Central square, the main plaza | Feb 9 to Aug 2, 2027 |
| 8 | Leela Eco Spa, south corridor | Aug 3 to Aug 16, 2027 |
| 9 | Every Avenue Realty and the Brosko service entrance | Aug 17 to Aug 23, 2027 |
| 10 | Paul Vincent Hair, south-west corner | Aug 24 to Sept 16, 2027 |
The Town calls these dates a best-case scenario. Repairs to the slab could finish some frontages sooner and push others back. The plan reworks the storefront edges through the fall, before the holidays, and saves the main plaza for February.
What the square looks like during the pause
During Stage 6, the plan calls for the site to be "secured in temporary transition condition" with "all tenant access maintained throughout winter." So this winter the square is somewhere between its old layout and its new one. Some edges are scheduled to be finished, and the middle hasn't been touched yet.
The Town has also listed commitments to the people who work around the square:
- access to Towne Square from Robinson Street
- construction vehicles parked off site, with laydown space off site when needed
- dust suppression, noise monitoring and noise mitigation
- decorative hoarding with artwork and storytelling that reflects the project
- off-site space for programmed events while construction is underway
One familiar piece of the square won't be there. Oakville News reported that the Millennium Tower Clock was set to be removed and stored before construction began, and staff confirmed it will come back once construction is finished.
Friday, November 20, on a closed-off Lakeshore
The Downtown Oakville BIA is holding its Light Up The Night at Towne Square on Friday, November 20, from 5 to 9 p.m. The countdown to the tree lighting starts at 6 p.m. Oakville News reported that the BIA's annual Holiday Tree Lighting would stay at Towne Square for the 2026 season.
The BIA has scheduled:
- Live music by The Ault Sisters
- A visit from Santa
- Horse-drawn wagon rides
- Hot chocolate
- Holiday carollers
That evening, Lakeshore Road East between Thomas Street and Dunn Street becomes a car-free pedestrian street. That gives the evening room along Lakeshore while the square itself stays in its winter condition.
Where the rest of winter goes
After the tree is lit, the BIA's other winter events move to Centennial Square at 120 Navy Street, as reported by Oakville News. This matches the Town's commitment to hold programmed events off site while Towne Square is under construction. The winter pause covers the holidays, but the plan doesn't expect the square to host the whole season.
There's more holiday programming nearby on the lakefront. An Oakville Digest listing shows a Christmas and Craft Tour at the Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate on Friday, November 27, at 10:30 a.m. The tour covers seasonal decorations, historic Christmas traditions and classic toys, and ends with a craft.
February brings the work to the middle
Stage 7, the longest stage, starts February 9, 2027. It covers the main plaza and runs to August 2. The plan keeps four public entrances open, and the main construction entrance is on Robinson Street.
The calendar shapes this part of the plan too. Oakville News reported that part of George Street between Lakeshore Road East and Church Street will close from spring 2027 until construction ends in September. The closure is meant to give downtown events and activities space next summer wherever possible. Access to the CIBC parking lot and Municipal Lot 3 stays open. The work moved off the 2026 summer and the 2026 holidays. In 2027, a closed George Street gives events room next to the construction site.
The last three frontages are scheduled for late summer 2027. Leela Eco Spa comes first, then Every Avenue Realty and the Brosko service entrance, with the public and tenant parking elevator open 24 hours a day. Paul Vincent Hair is last, in the stage ending September 16. Oakville News reported that the project should be finished sometime in September 2027 if everything goes to plan.
What the finished square is meant to add
According to the Town's description reported by Oakville News, the rebuilt square will include:
- amphitheatre-style seating for gatherings and events
- a water feature, raised planters and seating areas
- new trees, more landscaping and an updated central lawn
- decorative lighting and new accessible paving throughout
The updated central lawn falls within the main plaza work scheduled for 2027. If those dates hold, the square would be finished before the 2027 holiday season. The Town's Towne Square project page is where it says construction updates and milestones will be posted.
A rebuild like this changes how a downtown street works day to day. If you'd like to talk through how projects like Towne Square affect the streets around your home, book a discovery call with Niblock Real Estate. We're glad to share what we're seeing downtown this season.
