BRUCEDALE – Guelph/Eramosa Township held its regular meeting of council on Nov. 4. The meeting was brief, but included the following highlights:
Future retail development
Council approved a motion to sell off an unopened road allowance off Highway 7 in Rockwood, commonly known as Passmore Street, to a numbered company, 2245010 Ontario Inc.
The company is the registered owner of 250 Alma St., a property adjacent to the Esso gas station. The site is one the owner plans to develop into new retail space, possibly including a grocery store, but the project has been in limbo for several years.
According to a staff report, council passed a resolution to declare the unopened road allowance surplus in 2017, but a bylaw necessary to finalize the process was never approved and the land was never sold.
Then, in late summer 2024, the applicant reached out to the township again to express interest in moving forward with the purchase.
Staff obtained an updated appraisal to ensure “the municipality receives fair compensation for the municipal asset,” the report stated.
“The applicant has offered the township $249,750,” for the road allowance, it said.
Council voted in favour of accepting the offer, with Mayor Chris White commenting, “that’s another important step on getting that project moving.”
Grant applications
Council approved motions to support two separate government grant applications for two separate projects.
The first application is for Stream 1 of the province’s Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, a cost-shared program that funds repair or rehabilitation projects. Municipalities can receive between $150,000 and $1 million to cover 50 per cent of project costs.
Though it wasn’t detailed in the council agenda, White identified the project.
“This is for the turf replacement at Marden Field House,” he said.
In an email to the Advertiser, clerk Amanda Knight provided some further detail on the project, which will involve replacing the synthetic sports turf at the Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre in Marden.
“The current turf, now entering its 15th year of use, is showing signs of wear relative of its age and will soon require replacement,” Knight stated.
The two-year capital project will involve the design and tendering process in 2025, with the turf replacement taking place in 2026.
“The total estimated cost of the project is $508,600,” Knight said, noting the grant would cover half the cost and the remaining balance would be funded through building reserves.
Council approved the motion to support and endorse staff’s application for the grant.
The second application was for the province’s Community Emergency Preparedness Grant, which funds equipment, supplies and services – including things like sandbag machines, generators, chain saws, training and more – that range from $5,000 to $50,000.
White called it “another worthwhile grant,” and clarified it would be to fund a backup generator for Huntington pumphouse.
Knight said the Huntington pumphouse serves the Hamilton Drive water system.
“Neither pumphouse in that system currently has a fixed backup power supply,” she said in the email.
Contingent on receiving the grant, the generator would be part of the 2025 capital budget, she said.
A preliminary estimate of the total cost is $86,000, with the grand covering a maximum of $50,000, said Knight. The remaining $36,000 would come from water reserves.
Council unanimously approved endorsing staff’s application.
