Frustration mounting after 14-month long construction project on Hillside Avenue and Race Street

By Casandra Turnbull

It’s been a long year for residents in the neighbourhood of Hillside Avenue and Race Street. The last 12 months have been riddled with construction woes that started last spring when the County contracted BEECH Infrastructure Group Ltd to replace approximately 700 m of trunk sewers throughout the south end residential neighbourhood The sanitary trunk sewers on Hillside Avenue and Race Street carry all Paris’ sewage to the Paris Water Pollution Control Plant located at 120 Race St Brant County Council approved BEECH’s $2,879,277 winning bid to oversee this vital project which will ensure the town’s infrastructure can handle future sanitary flows as Paris continues to grow In addition to replacing the 700 m of trunk sewers, the project included the replacement of aging asphalt surfaces and the reconstruction of the existing roadway, including curbs and gutters, storm water adjustments and the installation of a 1kilometre-long pedestrian sidewalk.

It's not uncommon for construction project timelines to go sideways. But for those living within the construction zone, everyday life becomes disruptive. That’s the case for Hillside and Race Street homeowners as frustration is mounting daily.

On Ball Street, where it meets Race Street, is closed and accessible to local traffic only. Contractors are putting the finishing touches on a 14-month long construction project that has left several residents feeling frustrated with the delays and lack of communication.

Some residents have taken their concerns to social media after they say attempts to correspond with the county have failed The project started in April 2023 and communication to the community indicated the project would wrap up by December 2023. As of the start of this week, finishing touches like the placement of sod, surface asphalt, restoring interlocking stone driveways and laying the remaining asphalt driveways, were not fully completed.

On June 28th , the County issued a social media post and notice to residents stating that because of ‘unforeseen circumstances the remaining work on Hillside Avenue and Race Street had not progressed as quickly as anticipated.’ Poor weather this week also put a damper on plans to finally put this project to bed.

What’s frustrated some area residents the most, aside from the considerable delay and documented issues with the contractors, is a lack in representation from ward councillors and poor communication from County of Brant staff.

“I have sent emails to both of our councillors and received no response from them The only response I have received is when I posted something on Facebook,” said David Hazel, who lives on HillsideAve.

“During construction people’s cable and internet were cut, in some cases multiple times,” Hazel shared “The construction people never notified the homeowners that they cut their cable. In December every house on Mile Hill Road and Race Street had a temporary (section of) driveway laid between the sidewalk and the point where their driveway was ripped up for construction.

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