Residents here are going to be seeing a large amount of digging over the next few months.
On Monday, Centre Wellington council awarded a tender for the reconstruction of St. David Street North and Gowrie Street North, as well as construction of municipal sewers on Tower Street South, all in Fergus.
The work was won by the lowest bidder, Moorefield Excavating Limited, of Harriston, at a cost of $703,978, inclusive of GST and a contingency allowance.
The reconstruction of St. David Street South is from Princess to Union Street. The work includes excavation, granular base, hot mix asphalt, a sanitary sewer, watermain, and curb and gutter.
The work on Gowrie Street North runs from St. George to Hill Street east. The work is the same as for St. David Street.
On Tower Street, the work will service the old high school that is now being developed. That work is funded entirely by the developer, Reid Heritage Homes, of Guelph. The work includes excavations, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, sidewalks, paving, and materials, as well as maintenance holes and catch basins.
Construction on the projects is expected to start by the end of the month and be completed by Oct. 16.
There were five bids for the work, with the highest bid set at $718,000.
Township Treasurer Wes Snarr said in his report that the actual cost to the township will be $667,586 because the developer will be paying $63,869 of the total.
He added that the price is lower than expected. Council had approved a capital budget of $781,000 for the work, and it is $95,918 under that budget.
Work in Elora
Council also called for bids for work on two projects in Elora.
The first is the reconstruction of Church and Kertland Streets, and the building of parking spaces near the Dalby House building. The approved capital budget is $1.74-million.
The second project is the reconstruction of County Road 21 and Metcalfe Street from Clyde Street to County Road 7, which has an approved capital budget of $1.12.-million.
Snarr noted in his report to council that because there are no scheduled council or committee of the whole meetings between July 13 and Aug. 24, staff requested council’s approval for the work to be awarded by the tender committee subject to it being given to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder and within the approved budgets.
“This is to facilitate the award of these tenders and avoid calling a special council meeting to deal with this matter,” Snarr said in his report.
Councillor Fred Morris asked if tenders have been formally called yet.
Snarr said the work on Metcalfe Street was expected to be let on Wednesday, and the Church Street project within two weeks.
Council unanimously approved all the tender recommendations.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said, “That gets a lot of construction on the go for the summer.”
