Erin will borrow $2.5 million to replace the Station Street bridge in Hillsburgh.
Replacement of the 100-year-old bridge is “critical” with the impending traffic to the new Hillsburgh library, said roads superintendent Greg Delfosse at the July 11 council meeting.
The bridge is tied up with the mill pond dam in an environmental assessment, but Delfosse said the town can begin preliminary engineering work.
The EA was submitted, but the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change received approximately nine part-two orders, which essentially have halted the process until the MOECC makes a decision on the order.
Delfosse asked council to allow staff to apply for $2.5 million in debt financing from Infrastructure Ontario as well as seek $1.6 million in funding from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund’s top-up grants.
“Two-point-five million dollars, it’s a large amount obviously, especially with finance,” said councillor Rob Smith.
“I’m assuming there’s really no way around this is there?”
Delfosse said the bridge is in “extremely poor shape” and it will not be able to handle the traffic increase expected when the construction of the new Hillsburgh library is complete.
“Personally, I consider it a potentially significant error to move forward at this point,” said councillor Matt Sammut.
He said the process should be on hold until the town has received a response from the MOECC on the part-two orders, adding the ministry’s decision could change the type of bridge used.
Sammut was also concerned with the town’s ability to secure grant money if it already has debt financing.
“Why would we jeopardize the potential to get a significant amount of money for a project, that in the end we don’t even know how it’s going to move forward until we hear from the ministry of the environment?” he said.
CAO Nathan Hyde explained securing the $2.5 million loan wouldn’t impact grant applications.
“We do need to begin the design work, because worst case scenario, the library opens next year and we don’t have the means by which to get to it,” he said.
Mayor Allan Alls said the town has to replace the bridge.
“It was identified in 1971 as having to be repaired. We are playing with fire here and we need to get it done. I don’t think there’s any option on that,” said Alls.
Sammut asked if the bridge design would be altered if the pond is decommissioned.
“Right now we will undertake just basic engineering elements to determine when we do get a decision from the … MOECC, that we know what direction we’re going, which design to implement and how to start drawing on the $2.5 million,” said Delfosse.
“If it turns out a culvert does go in, and culvert won’t necessarily be significantly cheaper … it would still be an expensive project, it would just be a different project.”
Council approved the recommendation. Councillor Jeff Duncan did not vote, declaring a conflict of interest due to the proximity of his home to the mill pond.
