Town of Minto economic development manager Belinda Wick-Graham hosted a Clifford We’re Diggin’ It meeting on July 9 at Gramma Jo’s Restaurant in Clifford.
Triton Engineering site supervisor Jeremy Gibson presented Marion Pfeffer with the first monthly We’re Diggin’ It Passport prize of golf passes, hooded sweatshirts and merchant’s gift certificates all totalling $400.
Gibson noted construction is on schedule. Workers from TM3 were installing underground ducts for hydro lines, storm sewer crews are digging from James Street to Allan Street which also meant removing sidewalks and the retaining wall. Hydro poles are being realigned, and the roadway is being excavated from Park Street to the traffic lights, Gibson reported.
He also expressed concern about drivers who are not honouring “road closed” and “no exit” signs. He said some are riding roughshod over detour signs and fencing, which led to the installation of barricades at the south entrance to Clifford.
Driving over lawns is not acceptable, Gibson said.
Many curious onlookers are still following D1 to downtown shops and parking and seem a little disappointed when they find the main street impassible in full construction mode with no signs of an exit. Realizing they should have continued to follow detour 5 or 6, they reluctantly turn back to follow the detour route.
Shopkeepers are standing at the ready to help any customers entering their stores. The sidewalks all remain accessible to some degree or another. Some stores have reduced their hours, but all remain open for business. Actually, another business reopened – the Redwood Restaurant. It is open weekends for take-out orders and ice-cream cones.
Taylor Keunen has started a YouTube channel for all the Clifford We’re Diggin’ It videos. Belinda Wick-Graham expressed appreciation to Wightman Telecom’s Hope Reidt and Adam Olivero for all the effort taken to film these videos.
Wick-Graham is urging people to continue to stop and shop in Clifford and fill out your We’re Diggin’ It PasSports. Somebody will win over $400 worth of prizes on Aug. 7.
The more pasSports a shopper enters, the more chances for them to win.
Anyone with ideas to celebrate the eventual street opening is encouraged to call Wick-Graham at 519-338-2511.
