Quarry project rocks on
Q: I’m so curious as to what ever happened with the Queenston Quarry revitalization project in St. David’s.
A: Work on the massive development has been moving ahead behind-the-scenes, according to the developer.
In fact, Frank Racioppo said the detailed design was just completed and filed with the Niagara Escarpment Commission at the beginning of this year.
That detailed design includes everything from the height of buildings to setbacks, architectural design, servicing, electrical, sanitary, water and landscaping plans.
The next step is for the commission to issue a development permit. The company would then be able to go to the Town of Niagara-on-theLake for a site plan approval.
Racioppo said the company will unveil designs this fall once approvals are received.
The Queenston Quarry Reclamation Co. announced its plans for developing the 245-acre brownfield site in 2007. It received approvals in 2012 to re-designate the site from an industrial quarry to permitted uses subject to detailed designs. It had to go through the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Escarpment Commission, Niagara Region and province for that process.
Since then, Racioppo said they’ve been working on $5 million in site enhancements, such as removing overhead wires, developing underground infrastructure, stabilizing some of vertical rock faces and slopes and grading the site.
The plan calls for townhouses and a series of apartment-style residential condominiums. Nonresidential elements include a golf course, organic vegetable garden, farm-to-table restaurant, winery, spa, walking trails and more. It also includes subterranean in-rock wine cellars that Racioppo recently pitched on a Dragon’s Den episode which aired this week.
The Queenston Quarry opened in the 1830s and its limestone was used throughout Ontario and Quebec in prominent buildings. By 1978, the stone supply dwindled to the point of making the quarry uneconomical.
Q: Can you please tell me why there is no postal outlet open on Saturdays in Port Colborne? I have to go to surrounding, smaller towns to mail a parcel. There has to be a reason for this lack of service in this area.
A: Canada Post said it considers a number factors when it determines which services and hours of operation it puts in a community.
Local traffic patterns, mail volumes, most-used services and revenues were taken into account when Canada Post decided not to open the main post office in Port Colborne.
Canada Post spokeswoman Darcia Kmet said in an email while the main post office is not open on Saturdays, Port Colborne residents can go to Boggio Pharmacy at 200 Catharine St. for specific services such as parcel pick-up six days a week and stamps.
The nearest full service postal outlet for Port Colborne residents on Saturdays is in Welland at Shoppers Drug Mart at 825 Ontario Rd., open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Q: What is the Ministry of Transportation going to be doing to the Geneva Street bridge over Hwy. 406 when they start work there?
A: Drivers can expect to see new pavement and repaired walls when work is done on the Geneva Street bridge over Hwy. 406 in St. Catharines.
Ministry of Transportation spokeswoman Sadie Lapshinoff said in an email that Aecon Construction and Materials Limited was awarded a $5.7 million contract for the bridge repairs.
The repairs are expected to begin in mid-April and be completed by the end of the year.
Lapshinoff said the bridge will be open during the work and traffic impact should be minimal. One northbound and two southbound lanes will be maintained along with pedestrian access.