Sidewalk along highway may be built this summer

Pedestrians going to businesses far out in the west end of town, such Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire, may not have to walk on the road much longer as the town might build a sidewalk along King’s Highway as part of its 2005 capital projects.
At Monday night’s regular meeting, council approved a report from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown stating a sidewalk would be installed along the north side of King’s Highway, between Daniel Avenue and Wal-Mart, later this year if the $300,000 project can fit into the 2005 capital budget.
Brown’s recommendation stemmed after he read a report from the town’s consultants (KGS Group), which indicated such a sidewalk would increase pedestrian safety.
As well, there are no telephone poles, guy wires, or residential access points located on the north side of that stretch of King’s Highway to interfere with the installation of any sidewalk.
The study also indicated Canadian Tire is planning to build a sidewalk on the north side of the highway this summer from McIrvine Road to Daniel Avenue, so the town only will have to pay for the portion from Daniel Avenue to Wal-Mart.
In other news at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•approved a report from Brown ensuring that $79,719.20 in capital funds would be approved prior to finalizing the 2005 budget in order to replace the polychem chains in both clarifiers at the sewage treatment plant;
•approved a report from Brown ensuring a standard operating procedure is approved for completing watermain breaks or repairs on the town’s water distribution system, and that the procedure be incorporated into the town’s policy manual;
•approved a report from Brown ensuring the town enters into a one-year agreement Electrical Safety Authority at a cost of $6,651 for continuous electrical safety services (this agreement then was passed as a bylaw at this same meeting);
•agreed to support Oshawa MPP Jerry Ouelette’s proposed Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004;
•referred a request from the Municipality of Clarington for support of its resolution regarding amending the Municipal Elections Act to provide for a four-year term of office for municipal council members to the Administration and Finance executive committee for a recommendation, with input from the three other executive committees;
•authorized a recommendation of the Administration and Finance executive committee to write off the balance of the taxes and accrued interest charges for 319 Third St. W.;
•referred a request for support from the Ontario Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees for creation of a new national child care program to the Community Services executive committee for a recommendation; and
•passed a bylaw to amend a bylaw to assume, stop up, and close a lane on the west side and adjacent to Lot 114 on Plan SM 50, Parcel 7946.