The sewers are coming to Inglewood this year
By Bill Rea

Councillors Doug Beffort and Richard Paterak were discussing some of the sewer plans with Dave and Marty Graham of Inglewood last Wednesday.

The planned sanitary sewer and roadwork projects for inglewood appear to be on schedule, and that's shaping up to be good news for the community.

A public information session last Wednesday, hosted by R.J. Burnside and Associates, attracted about 60 people from the community, and organizers reported those on hand seemed pretty happy with what they were hearing.

They were informed the Inglewood Village Study Class Environmental Assessment (EA) was completed in 2000, and the recommendations from that included providing municipal water from three existing wells; sanitary sewers for new development, as well as the existing village core, complete with a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and pump station and forcemain.

Councillor Doug Beffort explained the infrastructure in the older section of the village needs updating. Septic systems have been breaking down and there's been leakage into the Credit River. As well, he observed that tourists are being attracted to the area, to use the local trails, etc. There has to be some amenities for them, like eateries, and that requires better sewer facilities.

"We've got people coming," he said. "We just need to receive them a little better."

The current project involves the construction of the necessary sanitary sewers, pump station and forcemain to allow the rest of the core area to connect with WWTP. Once the project is done, individual homes will be able to hook up to the new sewers and their septic systems can be taken off-line. And since this sewer installation will require roads to be torn up, improvements in that area are being coordinated with this, and that will include improvements to the local drainage infrastructure.

The sewers are slated to go on McLaughlin Road, from south of West Village Drive to the access road to the local arena; on MacDonald street, from east of Victoria Street to the east end of MacDonald; McKenzie Street; Victoria Street; Lorne Street; and Louise Street.

The material provided by Burnside at the centre stated the detailed design for the project provides gravity connections from the property lines to the new sewers for all the lots on the affected streets, although in some cases private grinder pumps might have to be considered.

This is an extensive and involved project, yet there has been very little opposition from the community, and there was no anger being expressed at last week's session.

"There's always been good buy-in (from the community)," observed Craig Campbell, Caledon's director of public works and engineering. He added the lots in the village core are small, with the septic systems small and tight.

"It's gone through a lot of process," he added. "Over a decade of process."

Simon Hopton, manager of capital works, collection and communal treatment of the wastewater division of environment, transportation and planning services at Peel Region, stressed the community has been kept involved throughout the process. "I think the community underwstood the need and were very supportive of the project," he added.

He explained the sewage from the system will be discharged into the nearby Credit River, and he stressed that a very extensive review has indicated the river can handle it. "There are strict effluent criteria, and there is regular monitoring of the discharge," he declared.

WWTP is between McLaughlin and Highway 10, constructed as part of a 75-home development that went in about two years ago.

"We expect the bulk of the work to be done this year," Hopton said, adding the pumping station will be built this year on a separate contract at a site just north of the arena. The final completion of the system is slated for 2009.

"The community has continued to express very strong interest in this," he observed. "The community has embraces the project and is very much behind."

Doug Keenie, a GTA leader with Burnside, estimated the project is going to cost about $7 million, including the consulting and engineering expenses.

Hopton pointed out the Region is responsible for the sewer work, while the Town will pick up the bill for the road work. Keenie pointed to the "economies of scale" from doing all this work together.

"It minimizes disruption to the community itself," Hopton added.

The local politicians aren't surprised at the lack of opposition.

"We've done such a good job of working with these people all along," commented Beffort.

He said people brought concerns to the first public information centre, and Town officials worked on providing answers to all the questions.

"It's been a very positive experience," he said. "It's been great."

"Overall, I think the community understands this is good for the community," Mayor Marolyn Morrison remarked, pointing out it will be good for the credit, and brings a lot of activity to the village.

"We've been working on this for pretty well the 10 years I've been on council,' remarked Councillor Richard Paterak.

He recalled a few residents had some concerns early on, but the petition went through with more support than was needed.

"No one likes to spend money, but everybody recognizes there was a problem here," he observed.

Roger Crathern, chair of the Village of inglewood Association (VIA), said they started a plebiscite to get this work done, realizing it would require the support of 70 per cent of the community.

"It has to be a public petition that was put forward," he remarked, adding drew about 85 per cent support.

Crathern said he and other VIA members went through the community explaining the pros and cons of having such a system to hook up to. "The pros outweighed the cons considerably," he said, pointing out most of the septic systems in the village are out-of-date.