THUNDER BAY -- Residents near Golf Links Road say the city's extensive project hasn't been built as advertised.
Ron Shiomi said when he stands on his on a Golf Links Road sidewalk near his Riviera Drive home, there's a road above him and a ditch below.
"Residents are baffled to put it mildly," said John Essa, who joined Shiomi Monday night at city council.
They're baffled because the result is different than the proposed level cross section the residents were presented with before work began Shiomi said. They were also told the ditches would be gone. He even quoted the environmental study report that said the ditches would be retired.
"There is absolutely no ambiguity as to what was presented to us," he said.
But city administration said there's a difference of opinion.
The ditches currently there would be filled in and replaced with swales, which resemble shallow ditches.
The idea residents had is based on a drawing they saw before engineering studies were complete, said city project engineer Rick Harms.
“We believe the original intent of the ESR is still being met,” he said.
Some of the area in question is a flood plain.
"We don’t believe it's reasonable that we’re going to be able to fill all that,” Harms said.
City infrastructure and operations manager Darrell Matson said adjustments are sometimes made even after environmental approval and that some deviation from a plan is necessary sometimes after work begins.
City council has asked for a report on the project, expected within eight weeks.
