What a shock to see this photo on social media! Especially considering how I asked a lot of questions during the 2022 budget deliberations about the Conlin Rd. W. project. I had pulled it from the Consent Agenda and could tell the Mayor and others were getting frustrated, as it was an item that came late on the list of 2022 Oshawa capital projects pulled for deliberation, after seven hours into the Friday November 26, 2021 Council Budget meeting.
But with the mess of Conlin Rd. East in Ward 1, approving the additional $4M in the 2022 Budget for Conlin Rd. West in Ward 2, on top of the already approved $4.4M in the 2021 Capital Budget, seemed kind of unbalanced, especially considering the fact the Region had approved $1.25 M for sanitary sewers. I wanted to be well informed before the vote because it was a concern how much this City project was costing.
There was no mention at Council of the Roundabout being taken out. In fact, just the opposite was stated: Note where the City’s 2021 capital project summary specifically states “The limits of this project will connect to road improvements that were completed at the intersection with the Thornton Rd N roundabout and along the western extents of Conlin Rd W.”
Questions I've sent to staff this morning:
But with the mess of Conlin Rd. East in Ward 1, approving the additional $4M in the 2022 Budget for Conlin Rd. West in Ward 2, on top of the already approved $4.4M in the 2021 Capital Budget, seemed kind of unbalanced, especially considering the fact the Region had approved $1.25 M for sanitary sewers. I wanted to be well informed before the vote because it was a concern how much this City project was costing.
There was no mention at Council of the Roundabout being taken out. In fact, just the opposite was stated: Note where the City’s 2021 capital project summary specifically states “The limits of this project will connect to road improvements that were completed at the intersection with the Thornton Rd N roundabout and along the western extents of Conlin Rd W.”
Questions I've sent to staff this morning:
- Is there going to be a second roundabout to replace what was there and if so, is the cost already included in the Council approved $8.4M funding in the 2021 and 2022 City Budgets?
- Did the Region advise the City that the roundabout would be taken out? If so, when, or was it a decision of the City’s project manager for 72-0542
- Did the City approach the developer like the Region did for a ‘share policy’ for any of the City’s design or construction of its $8.4M project 72-0542?
- Does the City of Oshawa have a Share Policy with developers similar to the Region?
- What was the total cost of the Thornton/Conlin Roundabout when it was constructed, and was it a shared cost between the City and Region?
- Is the Conlin Rd W project expected to be on budget now for $8.4M, or at this stage is there any indication if there will be a funding surplus or deficit?
