I received word back from Oshawa senior staff this week with an explanation (sort of) concerning the Thornton/Conlin Rd West infrastructure servicing plan changing so dramatically. See 1 and 2 below. The project was to limit disruption to the roundabout. But the roundabout surprisingly was removed last week, after being constructed just seven years ago.
1. "When the Region was extending services along Conlin Road, they intended to undertake a directional bore and limit the disruption to the roundabout. During the costing process it became apparent there were some subterranean issues that escalated costs to the point where it was actually cheaper for the Region to demolish the roundabout and replace it. So the cost is borne entirely by the Region."
I wrote back — that recently senior city staff had referred to 'throw-away costs' in their reply to my request for the City to install a paved path along a short stretch of Conlin Rd EAST from Kurelo Ave. to Mackin Park). Staff called the approximate $25K cost for the path 'throw away' costs due to anticipated future redevelopment of Conlin Rd. East. —which compelled me to comment on the interesting juxtaposition, comparing the Kurelo/Conlin EAST $25k throw away costs to allow safe pedestrian passage of a whole community to a neighbourhood park in an area where residents pay some of the City's highest residential taxes
versus:
the short stretch of Thornton/Conlin WEST being serviced by the Region and the City, from just west of the roundabout and east to Stevenson Rd., at an infrastructure price tag of now over $10.5 million by the taxpayer in a location where the benefit is to large-corporate-profit landowners who are NOT PAYING ANY DEVELOPMENT CHARGES (DC) COSTS to Oshawa due to the industrial zoning of the Thornton/Conlin area lands and the City's policy not to charge DCs on land zoned industrial.
2. In another email City staff provided additional tech details and information concerning the roundabout problem, that it was their understanding:
i a) "the Region will restore the Conlin/Thornton roundabout as part of their servicing project, at their cost.
b) "through the Region’s design process it was determined that a less intrusive method (ie. directional boring) was not technically feasible due to depth/size of services, location of the existing high pressure gas main and subsurface conditions."
ii) "The cost for the Thornton /Conlin roundabout was approximately $2M when constructed ...it was City funded with no Regional contributions ..."
iii) "Based on the most recent project status report from the Region, the Conlin Road servicing project appears to be on time/budget. The City’s storm services are currently being installed on site with both water and sanitary services completed. Road restoration work will follow and will include the reconstruction of the Thornton/Conlin roundabout. Based on the Region’s latest schedule the project should be completed in Q2 2023, subject to weather conditions."
I wrote back — that recently senior city staff had referred to 'throw-away costs' in their reply to my request for the City to install a paved path along a short stretch of Conlin Rd EAST from Kurelo Ave. to Mackin Park). Staff called the approximate $25K cost for the path 'throw away' costs due to anticipated future redevelopment of Conlin Rd. East. —which compelled me to comment on the interesting juxtaposition, comparing the Kurelo/Conlin EAST $25k throw away costs to allow safe pedestrian passage of a whole community to a neighbourhood park in an area where residents pay some of the City's highest residential taxes
versus:
the short stretch of Thornton/Conlin WEST being serviced by the Region and the City, from just west of the roundabout and east to Stevenson Rd., at an infrastructure price tag of now over $10.5 million by the taxpayer in a location where the benefit is to large-corporate-profit landowners who are NOT PAYING ANY DEVELOPMENT CHARGES (DC) COSTS to Oshawa due to the industrial zoning of the Thornton/Conlin area lands and the City's policy not to charge DCs on land zoned industrial.
2. In another email City staff provided additional tech details and information concerning the roundabout problem, that it was their understanding:
i a) "the Region will restore the Conlin/Thornton roundabout as part of their servicing project, at their cost.
b) "through the Region’s design process it was determined that a less intrusive method (ie. directional boring) was not technically feasible due to depth/size of services, location of the existing high pressure gas main and subsurface conditions."
ii) "The cost for the Thornton /Conlin roundabout was approximately $2M when constructed ...it was City funded with no Regional contributions ..."
iii) "Based on the most recent project status report from the Region, the Conlin Road servicing project appears to be on time/budget. The City’s storm services are currently being installed on site with both water and sanitary services completed. Road restoration work will follow and will include the reconstruction of the Thornton/Conlin roundabout. Based on the Region’s latest schedule the project should be completed in Q2 2023, subject to weather conditions."