Demolition decision coming
County council to rule on whether to demolish 3 Campbellford homes for planned bridge
Next week Northumberland County will be asked to approve the demolition of three homes in Campbellford in a bid to make it more likely that Ottawa or Queen’s Park will cough up millions for a new bridge.
The county’s public works committee decided on Monday to support a plan to spend $53,933 to tear down the homes to help make the project shovel ready. Supported by Trent Hills Mayor Bob Crate the committee sent the issue to council’s meeting on March 18.
A staff report said that demolishing the homes at 9 Second Street, 109 Saskatoon Avenue and 120 Grand Road was required so the project will “be shovel-ready for the construction of the new Trent River Crossing in Campbellford.”
“When are we planning on starting this project? Have we decided that yet or is it still up in the air?” asked Councillor John Logel, Mayor of the Township of Alnwick/Haldimand.
“The direction we’ve received from council is we’re not proceeding until we have funding from other levels of government,” replied Denise Marshall, Director of Public Works. “The intent here is to move forward and be shovel ready.”
The estimated cost of the project has skyrocketed to $56 million and so far the provincial and federal governments have not offered any money. Last September several councillors expressed shock when they learned that the county would have to borrow $40 million to pay for the bridge, a move that could push it past its debt limits.
“To be eligible for and improve the likelihood of success to receive funding, the project needs to be ready to begin construction, known as shovel-ready,” said a report by Carol Coleman, Associate Director Engineering.
Marshall said the county is still working to complete the design and is moving services in preparation for construction.
The home at 120 Grand Rd, the former Brent Townsend home, is owned by Trent Hills, so the county will need permission to enter and demolish it. The other two are owned by the county. It also owns 116 Grand Rd.
The Townsend home is currently rented by the municipality, and Crate suggested the family could move next door to 116 Grand.
“Our social services team has been in contact with the tenants in at 120 Grand,” said Glenn Dees, acting Chief Administrative Officer. “So, they’re helping to assist them with other options that they could look at, including possibly the house next door.”
If approved next week, the demolitions will be carried out by Eddy’s Demolition & Excavation Ltd. of Toronto.
The demolition would start immediately and be completed by May 15, Coleman’s report says. The tenants in 120 Grand Rd. were given six months notice that they must vacate by June 1. If they don’t move before that the work will be delayed.
The county has acquired five full properties and slices of 11 lots. Five owners have not reached a deal so parts of their land will be expropriated, Coleman says.
The homes at 17 Second Street, 25 Second Street and 116 Grand Road which the county bought will be reused or resold.
County selects new CAO
Dan Borowec, a longtime employee of Northumberland County has been selected as the new Chief Administrative Officer.
Borowec spent 16 years at the county as Director of Economic Development, Planning & Strategic Initiatives before stepping down in January 2025 to focus on the Northumberland Broadband Initiative which is installing fibre-optic cable across the county.
“Dan has a deep understanding of the county’s operations along with the broader legislative and economic contexts in which the County operates,” said Warden Bob Crate. “He has extensive experience leading complex, multi-partner initiatives and delivering results that strengthen our local economy and community.”
“As a long-time resident of Northumberland, I care deeply about the community’s future and the possibilities we are creating for families, businesses, and the next generation,” Borowec said in a news release.
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