Town to apply for Building Canada funding
Nov 18, 2008 - 10:41 AM
By Keith Gilligan
AJAX -- Building Canada could include a new Fairall Street.
Ajax is submitting an application under the Building Canada Fund, an infrastructure program that involves the federal and provincial governments.
Dave Meredith, the operations and environmental services director, told council last week staff recommends reconstructing Fairall Street.
Under similar programs in the past, each government level would be responsible for one-third of a project's cost. It will be up to the federal government to select which projects are funded.
The deadline to submit an application is Nov. 21, Mr. Meredith said.
"We don't have a dollar figure" on the cost of reconstructing Fairall, Mr. Meredith said. "We need to put a business case together and show the costs."
In recent years, the Town has submitted applications under similar programs but was turned down.
As for the Town's chances of being chosen, Mr. Meredith said, "At this point in time, I have no feeling one way or the other. In my mind, it depends on the business case."
Only one project can be submitted, and "a number of projects were considered at senior management. This project had the highest priority and the best chance for success," Mr. Meredith said.
If the Town's project is selected, design work would be done in early 2009 and "depending on the scope," the actual work would be done in the second half of next year or in early 2010, Mr. Meredith said in an interview. "Ideally, it would be an '09 project."
The project "isn't a simple resurfacing. We have to replace the sewer," he said.
Given Fairall's importance as a connector road to the GO station, it should warrant strong consideration, Mayor Steve Parish said.
Also, the road is in poor shape and needs to be reconstructed, he said. "A strong case can be made."
How the work would be done will "present a challenge," Mr. Meredith said in an interview. Closing the road until the work is completed would adversely affect the businesses on the street, as well as inconvenience transit users.
"We'll look at difference scenarios," he said, such as reducing traffic to one lane at a time or staging the work along the street.
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