Council looking to accelerate urbanization of Innisfil Beach Road
by Michelle Minnoch

Director of Planning and Development Rob McAuley informed council Wednesday night that the original plan for the urbanization of Innisfil Beach Road will see the project completed by 2016, but Mayor Brian Jackson said he would like to see the project done "as soon as possible".

The two sections of the road discussed for accelerated competition during Committee of the Whole were between Jans Blvd. and St John's (2A) and St. John's to the 25th Side Road (2B).

"We have to focus on the costs in today's funds," said McAuley, adding the next step would be carrying out the Urban Design Guidelines. "We could accelerate the timeline to 2007."

McAuley said not only does there need to be road acquisitions, but there needs to be a relocation of some utilities.

"Hydro will relocate the line in 2008, and the line could go underground."

The land acquisitions are required as the Official Plan designates Innisfil Beach Road as 30 metres wide from the railway lines, east to St. John's Road, 26 metres wide from St. John's to the 25th Side Road, and 20 metres wide from the 25th Side Road to Lake Simcoe. The original plan saw this completed in 2008.

Mayor Brian Jackson has previously commented that he has been criticized by IGAP that "we don't have a Main Street."

McAuley said 2009 is the earliest shovels could go in the ground for the reconstruction of the road, but sections 2A and 2B could be started. "There would still be sizable costs," he said, but starting earlier would see a completition by 2011.

"We have to be comfortable with a 2009 start," remarked the Mayor.

McAuley said they have contacted Hydro to see if the work can be accelerated but did not get an answer. The mayor said he had called the president of hydro regarding the situation, but he was not available at the time.

Regarding land acquisitions, Mayor Jackson

remarked it could be a problem because of the Official Plan, McAuley agreeing, adding "certainly some areas".

Councillor Lynn Dollin remarked how well together the report was put together, but noticed work for Innisfil Beach Road was not allocated money in the 2007 roads budget.

McAuley said the roads budget originally brought to council did not have money allocated for Innisfil Beach Road in 2007.

Treasurer Ian Goodfellow stated on December 13th, councilors mentioned certain roads that could be deferred, which could free up some funds for the Innisfil Beach Road project. He said he preferred to defer other projects to free up more money which would be needed.

"Council did not consider debt to fund the project," he said.

CAO Larry Allison said if council wishes to start the work on sections 2A and 2B, they would need $875,000 from the 2007 roads budget to start the work.

Councilor Van Berkel said some approval of the work would be needed by the Conservation Authority, but Allison stated the work on section 2B would not need a lot of approval.

Deputy Mayor Gord Wauchope said the one good thing about starting the project sooner rather than later is that council has stepped up the project about three years.

"With starting in 2009, a lot of people in the area would go along with that," he said. "But, I don't want the Town to go bankrupt over the road. I would like it to start in 2009, and completed as recommended in 2011, 2012."

According to the Staff Report, to complete the Urban Design Guidelines, Flood Line Revisions, Detailed Engineering Design, obtain agency approvals, legal survey and land acquisitions will cost $1.1 million.

The relocation of utilities scheduled for 2008 will cost $1.3 million.

The Deputy Mayor said the project has to be done to attract business to the town.

With over 16,000 vehicles on Innisfil Beach Road daily, he said starting the project in 2009 has stepped it up a long way.

Councillor Rod Boynton said he would like to see the first work concentrated on the central portion only; the lake area and western portion could wait.

"I don't want to use the Town's Long Term Debt though," he said of the project.

"I don't want to be greedy, but people need to see something done. This Main Street is more than spending money on a road, it's the Town's image to the county, province and IGAP. More importantly, it's for the residents."

Councillor Paul Wardlaw asked about using Development Charges, but Goodfellow said the DC reserve fund was not yet but up enough to a sufficient level.

"The money is not in the bank yet," he said. He added there are no DC's available to fund the 2B portion of the project.

According to the Memorandum sent from the treasurer to members of council, the total cost of reconstruction from Lake Simcoe to the 20th Side Road is expected to be $17 million.

The town needs to look at deferring other projects to fund IBR.

While delaying Ferrier and the 25th Side Road would free up $460,000, Goodfellow said $2.9 million would be needed to start with the reconstruction costs.

While the urbanization of Innisfil Beach Road has been a work in progress since 2001, the Urban Design Guideline work for the area is expected to be completed this spring.