Instead of dealing with roads superintendent Larry Van Wyck’s report on Station Road in Hillsburgh, councillors were instead treated to Mayor Lou Maieron’s suggestion that council consider creating a Station Road bypass by turning a section of the Elora-Cataract Trail into a municipal road.
On July 15, Van Wyck’s report dealt with the ongoing need to address the bridge and earthen dam beneath the road surface. He noted that at the previous council session, he was asked to provide an updated report to council.
Though open now, the roadway was closed for several months until a temporary fix could be put in place. It is equally clear that a more permanent solution is required, Van Wyck said.
He told council Station Road has several infrastructure issues that need to be addressed.
To begin with, the roadway across the dam is of substandard width to accommodate two-way traffic, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. There are sections of sidewalk which have deteriorated beyond safe use.
An abandoned mill race lies underneath the road and the southern outlet is buried and its structural condition is unknown.
A deteriorated culvert was replaced in 2012. That work required the approval of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on the condition the town make an application for a permanent solution by June 1, 2014.
Van Wyck said that work required the existing dam either be upgraded to current engineering standards or decommissioned, which may require a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.
Potential $1-million fine if issue not addressed
Van Wyck stressed there could be repercussions if the town chooses to ignore the MNR requirements – including the potential for a $1-million fine; a provincial order to repair the dam and road; or the province completing the repairs and billing the town.
Again, Van Wyck pointed out the 96-year-old bridge was identified as early as 1973 as needing replacement.
Van Wyck said even if the town chose to do nothing and close the road, that option does not address the possibility of dam failure and the safety of downstream residents. He added that even if the town chooses to close the road, a ministry order would still likely involve the town having to complete repairs to the dam.
Additionally, this would mean longer drives over gravel roads for people wishing to access Trafalgar Road in Hillsburgh. The move would also increase response times for the Hillsburgh fire station.
Van Wyck stated decommissioning the dam and replacing the bridge would still involve replacing the culvert installed in 2012, repairing or removing the existing mill race, replacing the bridge, and reconstructing the road with the installation of underground service lines – water, sewer and storm sewer.
Approvals would be needed by various agencies including the MNR. The existing control structure located on private property would need to be removed and the town has no legal authority to go onto that property to do the work.
Van Wyck said rehabilitating the dam would require a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. Work would include construction of a barrier that would not permit water to flow through the earthen dam. Erosion control protection would be needed on the south side of the dam.
This option would also involve replacing the 2012 culvert, repairing or removing the mill race, replacing the bridge, and reconstructing the road.
He believed it would be questionable whether the MNR would approve this option without addressing the matter of the control structure.
Maieron suggests building over trail
In response to the report, Maieron said “with council’s permission, may I speak to the matter.”
At that time he pulled out an enlarged map of the Station Road area showing the dam, Trafalgar Road, Station Road and the Elora-Cataract Trail which intersects both Station Road and Trafalgar Road.
“An option popped out to me which I thought we could look at because the issue was on the agenda.”
He again stated he did not think council should be in the pond or dam business.
Looking at a bigger map he viewed the direction of the Elora-Cataract Trail which already had a bridge crossing. He said the trail would provide some options to put in a road, sidewalk and bicycle path.
“Are you talking about putting a road over the trail?” asked councillor Barb Tocher.
“There are trails that go along roads,” Maieron said.
He suggested that instead of reconstructing Station Road over the dam, he asked if council would consider turning the Cataract Trail section into a road and bypassing the dam.
He maintained the new section of road would maintain a road component.
Tocher said the town would still have to provide a roadway where homes are located on Station Road.
Maieron said there would be two dead ends.
“It provides another option outside the parameters of what we’re looking at,” the mayor added.
He said there are significant costs for rebuilding the road, the dam and maintenance costs.
“If this bridge (on the trail) is in decent shape, we may not have to even replace the bridge.”
Tocher responded, “No, it is a wooden bridge. It is only for bicycles.”
Maieron countered that perhaps a box culvert could take its place.
Tocher said with the depth involved it would have to be a bridge.
“It’s just a thought that hasn’t been looked at,” Maieron said.
Councillor John Brennan said, “I’m having a hard time visualizing how this would address the problem. If you were just talking about access, perhaps. But we still have to do something about the (dam) structure. We have to fix that one way or the other.”
Maieron said he didn’t want to get into that discussion that night. It was further pointed out that the municipality does not own the land where the trail is located. It is owned by the Credit Valley Conservation authority.
Tocher asked that Maieron’s proposal be tabled for now.
Van Wyck’s report was accepted by council with little further discussion.
