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THE VOICE of Pelham Wednesday, September 3, 2014
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Niagara Region term report: Transportation and environment
PELHAM MUDFES
CHALLENGE T
SEPTEMBER 6 BISSELL’S HIDEAW AY
PIRATES
HOME OPENER SEPT. 12 7:30 PM PELHAM ARENA
This is the final issue in a series which summarizes the accomplishments of this term of Niagara Regional Council. It is hoped that this series has provided a comprehensive review of the work at the Niagara Region and a glimpse at the challenges ahead. The last two areas are sources of large capital investments and a need for cooperation and partnership from other levels of government. The largest “ask” at this time is a joint request from all 12 mayors, regional council and community leaders to achieve twice-a-day train service with two runs morning and afternoon for a permanent Go Train presence by the PanAm Games in 2015. We have done “ghost runs” to demonstrate that the Welland Canal is not an obstacle. We have more commuters going daily to Hamilton and the GTA than Barrie has which already has a permanent Go Train service. We have initiated a partnership with the three local transit operators to deliver inter-municipal transit connection between major centres. The $88 million Burgoyne Bridge replacement is wellunderway. We have partnered with Peel, Waterloo, Halton and Hamilton to pursue an alternate transportation route connecting Niagara to the GTA and American North East. More than 120 lane kilometres have been repaved including Pelham sections of Regional Road 20. We reviewed opportunities to improve the safety, efficiency and movement of truck traffic across the Niagara Escarpment. Numerous projects have been completed. We now have two new roundabouts in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake not to mention the one created at the 406 and East Main intersection in Welland. Numerous bridges have been replaced including O’Reillys Bridge in Pelham and Wainfleet. Several other bridges have undergone major rehabilitation to extend service life or increase load-carrying capacity; the largest of which is the Main Street Bridge in Welland. Major Road reconstruction has taken place along with the road paving that was already mentioned. Woodlawn
Road in Welland and Fourth Avenue in St.Catharinesare a couple of examples. On the environmental front we established a Lakefront Enhancement Strategy in partnership with all 12 municipalities, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and private/public stakeholders with an annual $1 million cost-sharing incentive for each of the next 10 years. In addition, the NPCA purchased 15 acres of beachfront access in Wainfleet which will be available for public use next year. We worked with the NPCA to develop a Source Water Protection Plan which is only one of two completed so far in Ontario. We received an Electricity Retrofit Award securing $26,000 in rebates for installing energy-efficient lighting at three facilities. We constructed a state-of-the-art $43.2 million wastewater treatment plant in Niagaraon-the-Lake to replace open lagoons. We secured $84 million in infrastructure stimulus funding to address aging wastewater infrastructure. Three former landfill sites were converted for use by residents including the Centre Street Leash-Free Dog Park in Pelham. A new waste collection system was introduced with weekly green, blue and grey receptacles and initiated a battery collection program as well as new recycling programs for electronics, construction and demolition materials, carpets and mattresses. We also extended service in two municipalities and launched a multi-residential recycling program. The Lakefront Enhancement Strategy will be broadened to include all water access in the future. While we have achieved a 52% diversion rate from our waste stream we will have to further investigate emerging technology during the next term of council. Brian Baty is a Niagara Regional Councillor for the Town of Pelham, a member of the board at the NPCA and a member of the Source Water Protection Committee. brian.baty@niagararegion.ca
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