Road work ahead
Tue May 13, 2008

By: By Chris Hall

PORT PERRY -- One of the most travelled roadways in Port Perry's urban core will get some care of its own this summer when construction crews get to work repairing and improving Paxton Street.

Undeterred by the lack of financial support from upper-level government sources, the municipality will press forward this summer with an ambitious plan to upgrade the entire stretch of Paxton Street, which spans from Simcoe Street to Old Simcoe Road and provides access to Port Perry hospital and Medical Associates of Port Perry sites.

According to Gene Chartier, the Township's commissioner of planning and public works, the municipality will be looking at a bill of about $1.2 million to carry out the work. The total tab for the project is expected to top the $2 million mark when additional work on behalf of Durham Region officials is calculated into the cost.

As part of the project, the road and base of Paxton Street will be reconstructed and curbs, butters and sidewalks will also be installed. There will also a provision for a storm drainage system. The Region will also finance upgrades to the municipal water and sanitary sewer services.

"It's the primary connection to the hospital, it ranks very high in need," said Mr. Chartier of the planned work for Paxton Street. "It's fairly high in importance to the municipality."

Due to the presence of the hospital and medical centre, the Township will take extra steps to discuss a number of matters with the health-care services, such as ensuring access, added the commissioner.

A public open house is currently in the planning stages for sometime in late May at the Scugog Community Centre.

If all goes as planned, Mr. Chartier is hopeful that the job can be tendered in June, with work to begin in late summer. It's expected the project will take about three months to complete, he added.

Scugog had hoped to finance its share of the work through a provincial funding program. Earlier this year, the Township sought to secure $1.17 million through Ontario's Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) program, but was unsuccessful in its bid.

As a result, the municipality has juggled somewhat its plans in order to fit the work into its 2008 budget, but Mr. Chartier stressed that other road projects slated to be carried out this summer would not slashed or delayed.

"Nothing is compromised in the 2008 budget to accommodate Paxton Street," he said.

According to the commissioner, the Township will use funds from the 2008 federal gas tax grant for the Paxton Street work, while additional funds received from the Province through the Ontario-Municipal Partnership Fund will be used for improvements on Cawker's Cove Road and Old Scugog Road. As for the planned reconstruction of King Street, the municipality will draw further from its development charges reserve fund.