Parts of St. George Street and Chapman St. to be rebuilt this year

A steady flow of residents filed into the community centre Thursday afternoon to review engineering plans for updates of two sections of downtown Port Dover streets.

The streets Norfolk County has designated for complete rebuild are two blocks of St. George Street from Market Street to Nelson Street (about 350 metres), and one block of Chapman Street west (about 100 metres) from St. George Street to Drayton Street.

Those new sections will tie in with similar roadwork over the past two years.

In attendance to explain the details and to answer peoples’ questions were Manager John Hamilton P.Eng and Senior Municipal Technologist Scott Zerbes with Norfolk County Engineering Division. Councillor John Wells was also in attendance.

The common fault that people found with the plans is most of the trees along those streets will be removed and not replaced.

Disappointment was noted time and time again as other people heard of the demise of those ornamental flowering trees. Norfolk staff told homeowners who will be having trees removed from their boulevards that if they want a tree they will be reimbursed $200-$250 to buy and plant a replacement tree on their property.

All the streets to be reconstructed will be torn up so all new water and sewer lines, storm sewer drains can be installed. The road surface will be repaved a full four lanes wide with curb and gutters.

New concrete sidewalks will be 1.5 metres wide. Boulevards will be 2.25 metres wide. It was said about the same number of fire hydrants will be installed.

Tenders for the project will be advertised in February. Manager Hamilton stated work is to commence on Tuesday, April 6 (after Easter Monday) and be completed before Canada Day (July 1).