ELORA ‒ Costly upgrades are coming to Gerrie Road in 2024.
Presented by managing director of infrastructure services Colin Baker during a council meeting Monday evening, council has approved a new report detailing improvements to Gerrie Road from Colborne Street to the northern limit of the proposed 240-unit Ainley subdivision development as well as sanitary sewer upgrades on Colborne Street from Wilson Crescent to Wellesley Street.
Under the service financing agreement, the developer is responsible for front-ending $3,699,465 in growth-related costs for the Gerrie Road reconstruction project while $1,227,035 in non-growth related costs will be funded by the township through the 2024 Capital Budget.
"There are no curbs (or) storm sewers there now and there are sections that don't have sidewalks," said Baker. "It'll be a full reconstruction...on Colborne."
Extending the water main on Colborne Street at the Gerrie intersection, the designs currently propose the construction of curbs, gutters, storm sewers, street lights and a multi-use path crossing a road section on the west side of Gerrie Road.
A section of sanitary sewer on Colborne Street between Wilson Crescent and Wellesley Street will also be "upsized" to service the proposed subdivision.
But while she was supportive of the report, Coun. Lisa MacDonald was concerned the construction would bring more trucks down Colborne Street, joining the fleets driving to and from the Storybrook subdivision construction site.
"Having vehicles travelling down Colborne Street is obviously not ideal," said Baker, clarifying that staff would reach out to reinforce the proper construction route. "(But) with (Beatty Line) back open, I think they'll go back to that route going forward."
Gerrie Road reconstruction will start in spring/summer 2024.
To be tendered next year, Colborne sewer upgrades are currently planned for 2025.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
