Cambridge opposes proposed LRT route through Preston

CAMBRIDGE — Preston residents who have rallied against a proposed light-rail transit route through their part of the city now have council’s support.

Politicians passed a motion to let the Region of Waterloo know that they oppose part of the proposed route into Cambridge that runs through Preston.

“The point being that Cambridge city council is going to be the main player in changing the attitude of the region in terms of which route we choose,” Mayor Doug Craig said at Tuesday’s planning and development committee meeting.

Preston residents have resisted the region’s proposed route since it was made public earlier this year.

It connects Kitchener to Cambridge through Preston by travelling down Shantz Hill Road then Eagle Street and Hespeler Road before it moves further south.

Area residents worry the first part of the route into Cambridge could result in a loss of homes in Preston and also impact the natural and heritage features of their quiet neighbourhoods.

“Cambridge is different from Kitchener and Waterloo. The look and the feel of LRT placement needs to be different as well,” Lee Ann Mitchell said.

“You have an intricate role in helping the region get this right for us. They have no idea how to handle the challenges of Stage 2 through Cambridge,” Mitchell told the committee.

About a dozen residents showed up to Tuesday’s meeting in red shirts matching hundreds of red “Stop the LRT thru Preston” signs that have cropped up in the area recently.

“Not only does it head down on that (Shantz) hill on a steep slope, it heads down into an established neighbourhood that

has a unique character that has been around for a long time,” Terry Mycyk said.

“After it passes through that neighbourhood it travels up one of the busiest and narrowest streets in the city (Eagle Street). There has got to be a better route.”

He suggested a route that would avoid Preston altogether and follow abandoned rail lines along Maple Grove Road and Pinebush Road instead.

Cambridge committee members were asked to endorse the second stage of the region’s light-rail transit project on Tuesday and to advise the region to look at other ways to enter the city.

The mayor, however, thought a stronger message was necessary, so he proposed an amendment to the motion to make it clear that council opposes the route on the table.

“I think it’s a stronger voice and message to say that we oppose it,” Coun. Shannon Adshade said.

“To me this makes sense. I’m certain we can find a better route.”

Right now there is no money to start work on the project’s next phase into Cambridge. A public consultation that was scheduled this fall was delayed to early 2018 so regional staff can look at other ways to get light rail into Cambridge.

In a report to Cambridge staff, the region says it will look at alternative routes as well as new options that could include abandoned rail lines. It will also look at whether light rail tracks can be mixed with traffic rather than build right-of-way tracks to mitigate impacts.

The region says that the earliest construction is expected to begin is 2025.