Image

Petrolia’s mayor says it’s a good time to rebuild Greenfield St.

May 13, 2020

Petrolia’s mayor says it may be the perfect time to rebuild Greenfield Street.
Brad Loosley made the comments Monday as council discussed the reconstruction of Wingfield Street during a video conference.
Councillors awarded the contract for the job to Cope Construction. The project includes fixing the water and sewer services and rebuilding the road which runs parallel to Greenfield. The town had expected the work to cost about $1.24 million; Cope’s bid came in at $944,911. Even with factoring in about $150,000 in engineering and project management costs, that puts the project about $150,000 under budget.
CAO and Treasurer, Rick Charlebois says any surplus funding will go into the town’s working capital reserves for other projects..
Loosley believes that could be Greenfield Street. It’s been up for discussion for years. The street was part of a $5 million plan submitted to the province last year which would have seen all the streets in the theatre district renewed. It didn’t receive funding.
Loosley believes the time is right to work on Greenfield. “With no theatre going on right now, it would certainly be ideal…it would be the ideal time to get into a mess and not to affect the theatre.
But the mayor says he’d only be in favour of getting started if contractors would wait until 2021 to be paid, since the cash for the project isn’t in this year’s budget.
Councillor Ross O’Hara wasn’t as keen on the idea. “There are so many unknowns right now…I wouldn’t want to commit to anything until we know what else comes down the road,” he says.
Councillors asked for a report on the idea. Councillor Joel Field suggested it might be best to only move ahead on the engineering work so the project would be ready should the federal and provincial government start an infrastructure program to kick start the economy.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Fair banner may not fly

June 14, 2025

The Independent The Moore Agricultural Society has some big plans for the 175th anniversary of the Brigden Fair. But not all of their plans may work out. The ag society has asked for and received several approvals from St. Clair Township council for special events at the landmark fair including allowing a low-level Canadian Armed Forces Flyby and helicopter landings

Read More

Image
Front Page

Remembering Newell Hastings

June 14, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Sunday, Newell Hasting’s service to King and Country over a century ago was remembered in a peaceful church cemetery near Watford. Hasting was born in Petrolia and his family moved to Watford around the turn of the century. He signed up to serve in the miltia with Watford’s 149th Battalion before being called up for service. He

Read More

Image
Front Page

Sidewalk projects around First Ave this summer

June 13, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Sidewalks along First Street in Petrolia will be getting an upgrade once school is out for the summer. It’s part of the latest large project to improve the town’s sidewalk system. In 2023, BM Ross and Associates completed a study on Petrolia’s sidewalk system and found it lacking. It suggested $1.5 million in sidewalk construction was needed

Read More

Image
Front Page

Aamjiwnaang evacuates parts of community as INEOS decommissioning increases benzene levels

June 13, 2025

Leaders of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation are evacuating residents between Churchill Road and Tashmoo Ave after high levels of benzene have been detected in the area. Just before noon Friday, INEOS Styrolutions issued a notice saying hourly benzene emissions have been detected about 0.021 parts per million. The company is decommissioning the plant which is within eyesight of Aamjiwnaang’s band

Read More