The Town of Erin has received $1.5 million from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund top-up application to offset costs for the Station Street bridge reconstruction.
The project, which includes reconstructing the bridge and rehabilitating the dam at the Hillsburgh Mill Pond, is expected to cost $5.1 million, with a $2.7-million direct cost to the town.
The cost was presented and accepted at a Dec. 6, 2016 council meeting.
The adjacent property, owned by Wellington County, is the site of the new Hillsburgh library and includes the pond controlled by the dam.
In July 2017, roads superintendent Greg Delfosse told council the replacement of the 100-year-old bridge is “critical” with the impending traffic to the new Hillsburgh library.
Council had allowed staff to apply for $2.5 million in debt financing from Infrastructure Ontario in July 2017.
The bridge was tied up with the mill pond dam in an environmental assessment but the town received the green light from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in February.
The Station Street bridge has needed repairs as far back as the 1970s.
More recently, emergency repair work was required, which prompted the move to plan a full replacement project.
In a March 20 press release, Mayor Allan Alls said he is pleased with the funding announcement.
“The significant repairs being done to the structure will be of added value to the town as we continue to grow and be ‘future ready,’” he said.
Construction is expected to start next spring after the current design process is complete.
