Installing a sidewalk from Ross Street up to Tim Hortons and the Medical Centre would cost the Town of Erin about $310,000, but it only has $100,000 set aside for the project.
Town Councillors took no action after receiving a report from Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck on April 15, other than to request a list of potential sidewalk jobs so they could discuss priorities.
“We’ve encouraged development there, and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic – a lot of kids are using the area,” said Mayor Lou Maieron.
Truck drivers often pull to the side of the road and cross the ditch to get to Tim Hortons, and high school students have beaten a trail across the Deer Pit for a more direct route to the restaurant.
The Town would be responsible for building the 550-metre sidewalk, but since Main Street is a County Road, it would also have to convince Wellington council to fund construction of curbs and gutters, or a physical barrier between pedestrians and traffic, plus storm sewers and catch basins.
There are two ditches there, and the one closest to the road, which handles little water, would have to be filled in.
Contributions totalling about $100,000 were required from the developer of new buildings in the area, and this money is being held in reserve for the sidewalk, but the Town would have to cover the balance. This project is not in the current budget or the five-year capital forecast.
