ERIN – The Town of Erin is ready to negotiate an agreement with Solmar Development Corp. to purchase a section of its property for the much-anticipated wastewater treatment facility.
Council met in-camera on Aug. 18 before its regular council meeting.
Mayor Allan Alls reported in the public session that council had approved the selection of Site 1 for the new wastewater treatment plant and that there be an addendum to the Environmental Study Report if required.
Council had also approved a motion to allow the CAO to begin negotiations to purchase the land.
Site 1 has been identified as the Solmar Site, on the north side of Wellington Road 52 and west of 10th Line.
A section of Halton Crushed Stone property on the southeast corner of Wellington Road 52 and 10th Line, just south of the Village of Erin, has long been the preferred site for the facility. The Solmar site was the second option.
Purchasing the land is the next big step in the project and has been anxiously awaited.
At its May meeting, council awarded the design contract to WSP Canada Group Ltd. and work was to begin on May 13.
But WSP could only go so far with the design without knowing the final site.
Alls told the Advertiser in May that the town has been in communication with the aggregate company. With this new motion, the site is confirmed and WSP can complete its work.
Construction tenders are to go out in February 2021 with the project to be substantially completed by October 2022.
All costs for the plant are to be paid through development charges but initially, the town may have to cover costs and be reimbursed later.
Later in the Aug. 18 open meeting, Nick Colucci, director of infrastructure services, told council the value of a parcel of town-owned land at Kenneth Avenue and 9th Line could increase once construction of the wastewater treatment plant begins.
“I thought we should hold off (selling or using the property) until we commence design of the wastewater treatment facility,” he said.
“The value could rise … and we could possibly sever it into two properties. That would make it more valuable as well.”
At the July council meeting, Alls had asked staff to look into the feasibility of turning the land into a park.
