ROBERT BARRON CITIZEN
The plan to place sidewalks on Sherman Road in North Cowichan has been put on the fast track.
The Municipality of North Cowichan decided last week to put sidewalks all the way from the Sikh temple on Sherman Road to Somenos Road this year, instead of the original plan to do the project in two phases over two years.
CAO Dave Devana told council that the municipality’s plan to pave the dike between the Trans Canada Highway and Tzouhalem has been changed, which freed up $105,000 in the budget for the sidewalk project.
He said the plan for the sidewalk project on Sherman Road was to do it in two phases.
The first approximately $235,000 phase would have seen the section of road between the Sikh temple to Lane Road done this year, while the second $115,000 phase to Somenos Road would have been completed in 2017.
“It’s financially prudent to complete the Sherman Road project in one year when the equipment is already mobilized in the area,” Devana said.
“It’s also expected this area will see an increase in pedestrian traffic now that the new turf field has been constructed.”
Mayor Jon Lefebure said a member of the Sikh community had spoken to him about when the sidewalk project next to the temple would proceed.
“It was a modest request and he never expected to jump the queue,” Lefebure said.
“If we can do this, I think he’d be really pleased.”