The condition of the sidewalks in the Village of Saint-Eugène has the attention of East Hawkesbury council and municipal staff.
Council reviewed a brief on the state of the sidewalks in Saint-Eugène following the annual spring washing and inspection.
“Recent inspections and public complaints have identified multiple sections of sidewalks requiring repair,” the report stated. “These deficiencies present safety hazards, including trip risks, and may expose the municipality to liability.”
The report noted that sidewalks wear down over time due to weather conditions, road salt, shifts in the ground below the sidewalk, and the usual wear and tear from pedestrian traffic. So far the public works department has done cold patch asphalt fixes to deal with the poor surface problems for some of the sidewalks in the village.
There are 2.2 kilometres of public sidewalk in the village that were installed in 1990 and have seen “only minor repairs” over the years. These older sections of sidewalk are also four feet wide and need rehabilitation to meet the current provincial standard of five-foot width for sidewalks.
The report to council also noted that a proposed storm sewer improvement project east of Église Street will require replacement of the existing sidewalks there.
Estimates on the possible cost for repair and replacement of the village’s sidewalks are $53,000 for property line surveys and replacement of asphalt, topsoil and walkways. Added to that is an estimated $214,500 for actual repair and replacement of all sections of sidewalk.
The report included three options for council to consider during future discussions. First is to have staff prepare a sidewalk replacement plan as part of the 2027 municipal budget. Second is to have the 1.1-kilometre section of sidewalk from County Road 14 east to the section of sidewalk where the proposed storm sewer project will be. Third is to replace all 2.2 kilometres of sidewalk that is in poor condition and then after the storm sewer project is done look at repairing or replacing the sections of sidewalk that were affected.
