Editorial – Growing forward

A person cannot look too far in South Dundas and not see some type of construction or reconstruction underway. From critical infrastructure renewal to new housing starts and renovations – there are positive signs all around that point to growth in the municipality.

Construction has finally begun on the Morrisburg roundabout and street-scape project, something that has been nearly five years in the making. Ideally this project would have broken ground in 2020 when there was less traffic, but nonetheless it is well needed.

For months work has been underway on renovations to the 65-year old Iroquois water tower as that critical piece of infrastructure is renewed. A similar project for the Morrisburg water tower is ready to begin with scaffolding already in place.

North of Highway 401, several kilometres of county roads in South Dundas are being repaved or repaired this summer. A new sewer line has been put in along County Road 2 for the nearly 200-unit Dutch Meadows subdivision and the pumping station is under construction.

Along Lakeshore Drive and several other roads in South Dundas are signs of new home construction, or renovations. The runway at the Iroquois airport has been repaved and work will begin soon on the Morrisburg Waterfront for a renewal and expansion of the pathways.

To summarize, there is a lot going on this year for construction. Municipal infrastructure is funded primarily by you. The money may have come from South Dundas, SDG County, the province, or the federal government – but in the end you are the who one foots the bill. When it comes to areas of growth, like a new subdivision, growth pays for growth. But for the infrastructure renewal, that is on us. All of us.

That is why it is important to keep looking at the growth aspect when seeing all the infrastructure renewal – especially that which is planned for the future. Projects like the landfill expansion or closure will take millions of dollars no matter the decision made. Replacing Seaway-era or older water, sewer and storm sewer lines will take many millions more. In order to spread that cost out, to make repairing what we have less of a financial burden, we need growth. Property value assessment increases alone are not enough to sustain the millions needed now and in the future to repair and replace what we have.

In order to afford the basic infrastructure we have, to keep it in good working order, to keep it safe to operate, we need to attract more people to move to South Dundas. It is the simplest, and most economical solution to our infrastructure woes.