Heather Wright/The Independent

There will be a walkway from a seniors’ housing development on Confederation Line into Wyoming. But just how it will be paid for is still up in the air.

Plympton-Wyoming council agreed to a 1.5 meter multi-use path from the Gold Leaf Developments property into town. But Mayor Gary Atkinson says the details of who will pay what are still up in the air. 

In February, Gold Leaf Properties brought its plans for a 51-unit seniors rental development on Confederation Line, similar to one already built in Petrolia. At that time, councillors were firm that Gold Leaf needed to build a sidewalk for seniors to get down the busy road to town.

But Gold Leaf’s planners said the cost of the elevated sidewalk – if it had to complete the engineering and design a sidewalk to municipal standards, “would create a substantial financial burden that would render this project not feasible.” The planners estimated it would cost about $50,000 just for the sidewalk, not accounting for the engineering for the project.

So town staff and Gold Leaf’s planners met and decided a 1.5 meter trail – possibly of crushed gravel – was a better option.

Gold Leaf offered to pay $25,000 of the estimated $70,000 cost suggesting the town use the $54,000 provided by the developer in lieu of parkland for the path.

Atkinson says council did not decide exactly how the project will be paid for but did agree to the multi-use trail and accepted the $25,000 from Gold Leaf for the project. 

“We wanted to get that done so we could get the project going,” says Atkinson. “My main concern is connectivity; we know that people are going to walk, we want to make sure it’s safe.”

The funding, he says, will be decided at budget time.

CAO Adam Sobanski added since Confederation may be reconstructed in the near future, staff felt that it may be best to carry out construction of the pedestrian access at the same time, saving the municipality money.

It’s not clear how long it will take Gold Leaf to complete the development.