[WaterlooInvestor]

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[kitchener-lrt]

City council is considering closing Dixon Street to traffic between Wellington and Ainslie streets, to create a pedestrian area.

:cheers:


Upgrades will continue at the municipal airport south of Breslau. The passenger terminal is being expanded and there are plans to reconstruct a runway, a taxiway and a terminal apron.

:cheers:

I think that they forgot a major project likely to break ground this year. RAPID TRANSIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheers: :banana: :cheers: .

[Cambridgite]

I think that they forgot a major project likely to break ground this year. RAPID TRANSIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheers: :banana: :cheers: .

Are we actually starting construction this year? I thought there'd still be a little time we'd wait between the EA (which finishes this year) and construction. We still have to hand over our EA findings to the MTO.

City council is considering closing Dixon Street to traffic between Wellington and Ainslie streets, to create a pedestrian area.

Wow, this stands in contrast to the parking garage idea! :)

I think they should have done that to Main street between Wellington and Water streets though.

[kitchener-lrt]

[QUOTE=Cambridgite;3255846]Are we actually starting construction this year? I thought there'd still be a little time we'd wait between the EA (which finishes this year) and construction. We still have to hand over our EA findings to the MTO.
QUOTE]

I'm assuming that once all of the contracts are handed out, construction will start either late this year, or early next year.

[Snark]

KW Rocks

[kitchener-lrt]

[QUOTE=kitchener-lrt;3256038]


Don't forget that there is a requirement for time to actually design the system, do the massive relocation of utilities required, and deal with any current on-grade crossings with railroad tracks. Oh yes, and any detour routes required to support the construction need to be upgraded beforehand as well.

It's a big project and there will be a lot to be yet done following the completion of the EA. It will be quite a while yet before any track is laid.
Woops, I completely forgot about all of that. I was completely caught up in contracts being signed, and tracks being laid, that I forgot the most important part. I'm now assuming that construction will start mid-late next year.

[kitchener-lrt]

Speaking about PCC's, Kitchener's ward boundary review is the hot topic this month, with 7 planned PCC's.
http://www.kitchener.ca/city_hall/ward_boundary_review_options.html

My first choice was option D, and my second B.

[WaterlooRegioner]

On the subject of the new Waterloo fire hall, where exactly is it going to be built? From looking at that map(above) it appears as though it's smack dab in the middle of the Pillars site....

[jcollins]

Waterloo council plans to break ground on a fourth fire hall. It's to open in 2009 at University Avenue East and Woolwich Street North.


Well Looks like this one's going to be on hold for a bit. Hopefully not too long, I think this is a great project!



City puts brakes on new green fire hall

Liz Monteiro
RECORD STAFF

WATERLOO

A long-awaited fire hall for the Eastbridge community in Waterloo is on hold.

The "green" fire hall project is $1 million over budget, councillors learned this week. They sent the budget back to staff for paring.

"I have serious reservations of approving this,'' Coun. Ian McLean said. "I can't in good conscience spend $1 million without barely breaking ground.''

Coun. Scott Witmer said approving a budget much higher than planned would show taxpayers the process is "fatally flawed".

Fire Chief John deHooge said he was dis-appointed with the delay. The fire hall, which was supposed to open in the summer of 2009, now probably won't open until that fall, he said.

"We are going back to the drawing board,'' deHooge said after the meeting.

Plans called for a one-storey, 7,300-square-foot building with two bays. It was to cost $3.4 million, but the latest projection came in at $4.3 million.

The additional costs are largely attributed to the fire hall's LEED designation, which stands for leadership in energy and environmental design.

The building will be the first LEED fire hall in Ontario, meeting the silver certification for its green measures, such as low-flush toilets, energy-saving shower heads and the use of recycled building materials.

Councillors were initially told the environmental designation would add $167,000 to the total cost. However, the actual additional cost was $602,900.

Other unexpected costs include a new sanitary sewer line, a fence around the building, road median alterations and inflation. The project was first presented to council in 2006.

The fire hall is to be built at University Avenue and Woolwich Street North.

Coun. Diane Freeman, whose ward includes the Eastbridge area, said the fire hall is desperately needed, but she, too, was struggling with the added costs.

Councillors suggested staff approach businesses or residents to garner sponsorships to assist with paying for the tower where the front vestibule of the fire hall will be located.

Janice Snow of the Eastbridge Neighbourhood Association told council a fire hall must be constructed as soon as possible.

"The bottom line is safety," she said.

Coun. Mark Whaley applauded staff for its vision in proposing an environmentally friendly fire hall that "runs like a Prius but looks like a Ferrari.''

lmonteiro@therecord.com


Love the Prius/Ferrari comment!!