By Catherine Lefebvre
Sidewalks in St-Eugène have been washed and inspected, and after public complaints, East Hawkesbury township council was informed on May 11 that multiple sections require repair. Deficiencies include safety hazards and trip risks, mainly caused by weather conditions, road salt, ground movement, and regular wear and tear.
There are 2.2 kilometres of sidewalks in the village which have an in-service date of 1990 with only minor repairs done to date. But their width should be increased to five feet or 1.5 metres to meet provincial standards. There is also a proposed project for storm sewer improvements from east of Église Street. If this section of sidewalk is replaced before the storm sewers are replaced there is a risk that the new sidewalks could be damaged and would need to be replaced a second time. For now, the Department of Public Works is treating the surface discontinuity with cold patch asphalt. The estimated costs for the repairs are $267,500.
Council had three options to choose. One was to request staff to prepare a budget for replacement of the sidewalk in 2027. The second option is to replace the 1.1-kilometre section of sidewalk from County Road 14 to the east in the section where the storm sewer was already replaced or replace the entire 2.2. kilometre section of sidewalk in 2026 and risk having to replace it again
Council decided to undertake a sidewalk repair program in the 2027 budget, that includes approval of this program that will address current deficiencies and support for long-term infrastructure sustainability. Removal and replacement of damaged concrete panels, grinding of minor surface irregularities, improvements to drainage where required, and replacement of linear meters of sidewalk will be prioritized based on safety risk, pedestrian usage, and cost efficiency.
