THUNDER BAY -- The city will see a pair of road construction projects go ahead this year.
After a lot of confusion on process Monday night, city council pulled around $290,000 remaining from its uncommitted gas tax funding and the remainder from its Renew Thunder Bay reserve to make up a $674,000 shortfall to get Golf Links Road improvements completed to John Street this season.
A report from administration had said a portion of Cumberland Street would have to wait for improvements this year to make up that difference. The other option was to cut Golf Links work to Fairview Crescent.
Councillors introduced several amendments to try and find the funding to complete both projects before agreeing on tapping gas tax and Renew Thunder Bay.
Coun. Andrew Foulds said it's a good thing city found a way to fund both projects. He joked that visitors to the city coming into Thunder Bay from Hodder Avenue have to make their first stop a mechanic to get their vehicles repaired after driving down Cumberland Street.
"We need to fix it," he said.
Council also heard from concerned citizens from the River Terrace area near Golf Links Road. Ron Shiomi, who had brought similar concerns to council earlier this year, said the city has still not met with residents in the area who argue that the completed work was not what was originally planned.
The city awarded the $3.8 million Golf Links contract to Bruno's Contracting.
