MARATHON OF HOPE: City asks Region to name a new street after Terry Fox.
If council gets its way, the yet- to- be constructed Thorold Stone Rd. extension into the Gale Centre will be named Terry Fox Way after the iconic Marathon of Hope runner.
The future road, east of Stanley Ave., will provide permanent access to Niagara Falls’ major recreational facility, expected to alleviate traffic congestion sometimes seen on Fourth Ave., currently the only road entering and exiting the arena property.
It’s not in our control, or the Region’s control. It’s currently with the ministry. There’s nothing more we or the Region can do. The ministry is setting the pace.” Mayor Jim Diodati
Thorold Stone Rd. is a regional road. Regional policy states lower- tier municipalities must pass a resolution requesting a name change, and agree to share equally in the cost of renaming the road, before the Region considers such a request.
City staff is working with landowners and the Ministry of Environment to protect property owners from any environmental concerns about contamination. That needs to be dealt before any construction begins on land formerly occupied by the old Cyanamid plant.
“It’s not in our control, or the Region’s control,” Mayor Jim Diodati said. “It’s currently with the ministry. There’s nothing more we or the Region can do. The ministry is setting the pace.”
Diodati said he recently spoke with Regional officials who hoped to start construction in early 2012, but it now looks more like the second half of the year, he said.
In the meantime, the city has set aside $3.9 million for its share of the project’s multi-purpose trail, streetlights and sewers.
It was part of around $8.7 mil- lion council approved Tuesday — $4.5 million from its capital levy and $4.2 million from its utility budget. The money will fund the city’s share of costs for five projects the municipality and Region are working on together.