Hunt Club contract rolls ahead

In September, a motion passed by council directed staff not to award the extension’s Phase I contract until receiving confirmation from the province money would be coming down the pipe, also setting a deadline of Oct. 1 before sending the issue back to transportation committee. Provincial officials, however, including Ottawa-Orléans MPP Phil McNeely, encouraged the city to act in good faith, explaining Hunt Club funding would be subject to the budget process in coming months.

The most recent motion, which was rubber-stamped at council Oct. 14, authorizes staff to award the construction contract for the extension’s first phase in order to meet spring 2011 deadlines on infrastructure stimulus funding. With the motion now approved, staff will also start work assessing existing and needed sound fences along Hawthorne Road to the Hunt Club Bridge and begin “actively” seeking financial support from all levels of government. A report on funding is expected back in three months, with secured backing a condition to roll ahead work.

Though in July the province announced a $1.44-million funding commitment towards design and property purchase for the project’s first Hawthorne-to-Russell phase, the question of whether money will be available for Hunt Club’s second step – stretching from Russell to Highway 417, including the interchange – is what initially raised concerns for city staff.

But moving forward with awarding the contract is based on “good faith” the provincial funding will eventually come down the line, suggests Innes Coun. Rainer Bloess, as well as the realization that having already previously committed resources, the province will likely come through. “There’s been enough reassurance from the premier’s office that the will is there,” he continues. “I’m feeling quite comfortable (with the decision). It wouldn’t make sense to commit to Phase I and not Phase II.”

There’s also been discussion amongst councillors that with plans for the Hunt Club Extension so long in the works, it’s imperative to roll ahead with the project regardless, Bloess says. “It’s part of the transportation master plan,” he explains. “It’s been on the books since the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. It’s time to move this forward.”

With tender already released and simply awaiting a final decision on the contract, Bloess says the expectation is that something will be awarded this month in order to meet the infrastructure funding timeline. “It’s good news for the east end,” he adds. “We’re actually moving forward on it instead of just showing it on paper.”

Ottawa-Orléans MPP Phil McNeely, meanwhile, says the decision is a step in the right direction when it comes to assuring the Hunt Club Extension makes deadlines for infrastructure support. “I’m pleased that they’re moving forward,” he explains. “It’s very encouraging.”

The project is a key development for the east end specifically and the city as a whole, McNeely continues, and “one where we’re working on together. We’re going to get this done.”

From the provincial perspective, not coming through with further funding “would be quite embarrassing” after earlier commitments, he suggests, calling their involvement so far “pretty obvious we want to move forward.”

The next step, McNeely says, is waiting for the budget, estimating some kind of word on Hunt Club dollars by late March or early April.