The exact portion of Queen Street to be restored this summer hinges on possible funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).
The first phase (of three phases) of the reconstruction focused on a strip from East to Bruce Streets, at a cost of $6 million. When approving the project, council stipulated if costs exceeded that figure, funding would be sought to cover the difference or the project would be scaled back to fit under the $6 million cap.
The City approved a funding application to the NOHFC in mid-March to support the streetscaping component of reconstruction and is awaiting word on its application.
In the interim, two tenders were received by the City and a low-tender bid of just over $8.9 million (before HST) from Avery Construction won out.
If the City’s application to the NOHFC for $2 million in funding is awarded, the 2024 phase will run from Elgin to East streets.
If funding is not forthcoming, the stretch of this year’s reconstruction will be shortened to Elgin to Brock streets.
Another massive waste of money on unneeded construction while numerous other critical issues get swept under the rug, yet again.
Desperate, broken people continue to suffer and do without thanks to the imbeciles in the Ivory tower with all of the wrong priorities.