Town Council

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Several residents on Waterloo Street in Port Elgin came before Council on Monday (Oct. 11) to express their concerns and discontent over a decision made by the town to re-construct Waterloo.

While they agreed that the street needs improvement, they are do not agree with the process or the planned 'improvements' as proposed and had a lawyer send a letter to Town staff to temporarily, at least, halt the proposed plan.

Moving sidewalk five feet will destroy trees and affect parking for residents

The presentation made by Kathie Cook, who lives at the corner of Waterloo and Elgin Streets, set out the many property concerns, that include the removal of trees on their property, including a mature magnolia and issue of snow removal in the winter.  

As a former member of Council, Cook said that she was part of the Neighbourhood Improvement Program (NP) in the 1980s which worked with all levels of government to  re-construct Mill, Elgin and parts of Green Street, replacing sidewalks, sewers, hydro, curbs, etc. while preserving the root structures of the town's signature Maple trees ('Town of Maples').

New property owner knew nothing of the plan when she purchased property at the corner of Market and Waterloo Streets.  New sidewalk will be within one foot of her house

"The entire process included many public meetings and  the consultation process on this Waterloo Street project is virtually non-existent in comparison," says Cook.   "This was supposed to be the age of improved communications and transparency ... apparently, we are regressing no progressing!"

Maple  tree and parking will have to go

The date on the engineering plans is January, 2011 but the first notice did not go out  to residents until September 16 followed up by notice on September 27 with work to begin on October 3rd.  "There are no locates, no survey marks in the existing boundaries and we assumed that improvements would be made to the existing four-foot sidewalks," Cook pointed out to Council.  "We were blindsided!  A Town Engineer visited us on Friday, September 30 and we were told how things would be rather than how changes could be made to accommodate our concerns.  We were left with the impression that 'engineering standards' were his main concern."

Another yard will lose vegetation and parking

After studying the engineering drawings, Cook saw that the location of the sidewalk and boulevard are about to be moved four to five feet in from the edge of the street  impacting properties, vegetation, water flow and parking for most.

"This whole project seems rushed and not very well thought through," added Cook, "as well as being a public relations debacle."

The taxpaying residents requested that Council further review the project to address their concerns with a view to:

• keep the sidewalk at four feet not five as it passes directly by the Waterloo Street address of 559 Elgin Street and consider realigning the boulevard and sidewalk from Market to Mill Street to line up with that from Mill to Green Street

• provide absolute assurance the snow cleared from the road and sidewalk will remain on town property and not thrown or blown onto private property and that regular snow removal be attended to at the entrance the driveways

• that all tree trimming be done by a professional arbourist or tree surgeon and not by a construction worker with a chain-saw and that damage to remaining trees be minimized and some sort of protective fencing be installed during construction

• the the town preserve and protect sprinkler heads installed at residents' expense to water grass for 10 years now deemed to on Town property and/or return the heads to the residents

•  by lowering the curb between two large maple treesthat the town provide vehicle access to property from Elgin Street to provide for parking during construction

• that the town give consideration to a method of slowing down traffic along Waterloo which will only get faster once a smoother road surface is installed.  Excessive speeding is the norm

Kathie Cook (R) and another resident discuss concerns with Councilor Diane Huber

Cook also pointed out that, if construction begins this fall, it will go through the winter eliminating the sidewalk which is used by children walking to the elementary schools.

Residents said that they had also contacted the services (hydro and cable) and that they knew nothing of the proposed plan.

Councilor Diane Huber, who walked the area in question, agreed with a lot of the questions and submissions made by residents.  "How do we proceed?  The ontract has been awarded by what is Waterloo supposed to look like in the future?  I want to see the whole picture.  What makes this street worthy of five-foot sidewalks when, in Southampton, they are only four.  I also have an issue with healthy trees being cut down.  There are a lot of elements about how a neighbourhood looks and there are are a lot of issues here that have not been dealt with and I do not understand why we have to push the sidewalk back that far."

Mayor Mike Smith said that there are 'urban standards' that are sometimes difficult to deal with.

Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau said that snow is an issue.  We have some conflciting concerns.  We want to create a boulevard and protect pedestrians from traffic.  Also, our snow removal equipment is for five foot sidewalks.  We have issues in the past, such as the Northshore Road, where plans have been altered.  So perhaps we can ask staff to look at this with consideration given to the look and feel of the neighbourhood."

"The process has not really changed," said Councilor Fred Shildroth.  "Every year we discuss capital projects in the budget.  Maybe at the time of budget approval, notification  should go out to residents.  It then gives residents and staff the time to look at concerns.  In the next week, I would like to see something done."

Mayor Mike Smith agreed and said that staff and council will try to address the concerns raised by the residents.

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Sunday, October 16, 2011