Tar-and-chip work planned

Expanding its surface treatment – i.e. tar and chip – program to include an expanded array of work and roads, Woolwich will dig into its reserves to cover an $83,000 budget shortfall.

Meeting this week, councillors awarded a $136,000 contract to Quality Paving Limited to carry out the resurfacing of some 7.8 kilometres of township roads.

This year’s program includes the entire settlement of Bloomingdale (Greenwood Drive, Saranac Avenue, Seaton Crescent, Salisbury Crescent, McAllister Drive, River Street, and James Wilson Street) as well Cober Road, Kraft Drive, Kraftwood Place, Beitz Road and Rivers Edge Drive.

The increased costs included extensive use of what’s called asphalt padding – measures to shore up underlying deficiencies in the road before a new layer of tar-and-chip treatment is applied – and reflect higher materials cost, explained acting manager of engineering Jared Puppe.

Though the fee is small, every dollar raised in the annual run is directed to cancer research rather than towards costs, she noted, adding the Elmira run has raised almost $296,000 since it started 28 years ago.

Rather than waive the fee and set a precedent, however, Coun. Patrick Merlihan opted to dig into his own pocket then and there to cover the expense for Bowman. “I would rather just pay it,” he said. “End of problem,” added Coun. Mark Bauman, raising a chuckle from his colleagues.

This year’s Elmira Terry Fox Run is set for September 16.