THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay’s city council awarded a multi-million dollar pedestrian infrastructure contract on Monday, voting narrowly to move ahead with new sidewalk on a section of Frederica Street West over the vocal objections of area residents.
A group of neighbours presented a petition to council showing 33 of 43 homeowners along the eight blocks of Frederica from Stanley Avenue to James Street opposed the sidewalk.
The city plans to build a sidewalk on the north side of Frederica from Stanley to Home Avenue this year, and complete the stretch to James Street in 2024, work staff called crucial to the city’s transportation plans.
Residents said they saw little need for a sidewalk on what they described as a street with modest traffic, arguing the installation would disrupt their yards and could force them to park on side streets.
“This street has existed without a sidewalk for a very long time without any problems, and with the proximity of the property lines to the narrow city boulevard, it’s going to dramatically disrupt many things,” homeowner Daniel Jagielowicz told council.
“Residents will lose privacy and are afraid of people walking in such close proximity to their homes and vehicles, along with the increased possibility of theft.”
“One resident told me that if the sidewalk gets built, they’re going to sell their house and move.”
Frederica is classified as “a minor arterial with a significant amount of traffic,” based on traffic studies, and as a public transit route should have sidewalks on both sides according to city transportation and accessibility plans, staff said.
In 2018, 68 pedestrians per day were observed crossing the north leg of the intersection of Frederica and James streets, despite the lack of a sidewalk west of James, noted a staff report.
Council voted Monday to award a $2.37 million contract to low bidder Thunder Contracting for sidewalk work including Frederica.
Thunder Contracting’s bid came in below two competitors, but above the city’s $2.04 million pre-tender estimate.
The contract will see the company replace sidewalk sections on Brescia Court, Centre Avenue, Francis Street East, Francis Street West, Hyde Park, John Street, Red River Road, and Yonge Street.
It will see new sidewalk segments identified in the city’s active transportation plan added along Cumberland Street North, Frederica Street West, Inchiquin Street, John Street, East Avenue, and Wardrope Avenue.
On Hyde Park Avenue, street lighting will also be replaced, while a one-block deteriorated section of sidewalk on the east side will be removed.
The contract includes four new pedestrian crossovers, on East Avenue at Market Street, William Street at Ford Street North, Central Avenue at Riverside Drive, and Vickers Street North at Cameron Street.
An amendment to remove the Frederica Street work from the contract failed on a 7-6 vote.
Staff and several councillors pushed back on residents’ concerns, saying the sidewalk would help meet important connectivity and accessibility goals.
“I appreciate the neighbours’ comments about not seeing folks with accessibility needs,” said city clerk Krista Power, pointing to city accessibility policies. “Potentially that’s because they can’t board the bus, they can’t get to that area of the neigbourhood, because there is a barrier. This relieves that barrier.”
Coun. Andrew Foulds said while residents along Frederica may be opposed, many others would benefit.
“I’m just wondering, if you surveyed five square blocks, would you know of anybody who currently can’t get to the bus stops because of accessibility issues?” he asked. “This may alleviate that. I don’t know, but without knowing that, this is a very difficult decision – because this is a municipal piece of infrastructure, not a personal one.”
The cost of the crossovers and some of the sidewalk projects was funded more than 70 per cent through a successful application to the federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).
That ICIP approval meant most of the funds for the Frederica Street sidewalk could not be reallocated to other projects, staff said.
“The residents and I would prefer for the funds to go towards maintaining and repairing other sidewalks and roads in the city, which are in immense disrepair,” Jagielowicz had told council.
Fellow resident Terri-Lynn Dupuis called the sidewalk on the south side of Frederica itself one example.
“There are pieces of the sidewalk missing in certain spots,” she said. “There’s a particular area… that is not passable in the spring or the fall, because it’s just flooded. Would I allow my mother in a wheelchair to go on it? Probably not.”
That argument held sway for Coun. Albert Aiello.
“We only have a limited amount of money, and there’s a lot of sidewalks that need to be repaired without a doubt — and then we’re going to build new ones,” he said.
“It’s frustrating that I don’t have an answer for when people call saying, ‘I have a sidewalk that just has spray-painted circles everywhere and no plans to have it repaired,'" agreed Coun. Kristen Oliver. “Recognizing that, I think we’re putting more pressure on ourselves by building new, rather than replacing what we have.”
Coun. Trevor Giertuga said area homeowners would have been aware of the city easement and the possibility of a future sidewalk when they bought their homes, pointing to the sidewalk’s larger benefits.
“There will be some inconvenience, and I appreciate that, but I would suggest it’s quite a significant hardship for someone who’s in a wheelchair, with a stroller, or using a walker to have to go further down the road.”
