Mayor Karen Farbridge’s Blog

The infrastructure projects announced for Guelph will create jobs while investing in our future. 

We have a lot of work to do to make this happen.   The following is an update to Council from our Chief Administrative Officer: 

Roads projects

 Of the many roads projects that received funding, three will begin this year.  All of these projects will be tendered in accordance with the City’s regular tendering process, albeit with accelerated timelines, of which bidders are already aware.

 The projects are:

• Wyndham from Wellington to Farquhar (which will be done in blocks so as not to restrict access to critical facilities such as the courts, main fire station, etc.)
• Norfolk from Paisley to Green
• Woodlawn pavement resurfacing

The majority of roads projects will occur in 2010.  In fact, 2010 will see three times the amount of road construction work as an average year.

To ensure the City is poised to begin work early in the 2010 construction season, we have already issued RFPs for design work, so projects will be completely designed by the close of 2009, and ready for tender in January 2010.  2010 projects will then begin in March/April, allowing time for projects to be substantially completed by December 2010.

Earlier this week I had a very productive, positive meeting with representatives from Guelph’s construction sector, who delegated at Council June 22.  I reiterated the City’s need for these projects to happen without delays.  They assured their full cooperation, and committed to working with one another to ensure the projects are completed in compliance with the federal government’s tight timelines.

Municipal buildings projects

Guelph’s main Fire Station, the River Run Centre, and Guelph Transit headquarters will undergo upgrades valued at $5,241,500 as a result of having received funding through the Infrastructure Stimulus project.

 A roof replacement, accessibility improvements, and a solar hot water system are planned for the main Fire Station.  A roof replacement, accessibility improvements, and a high energy boiler are planned for the River Run Centre.   An HVAC system replacement and barrier-free washrooms are planned for Transit headquarters.  The City is currently recruiting project management services to co-ordinate and manage the rehabilitation work.

 Communications

The City recognizes the many challenges associated with undertaking so much construction work simultaneously.  It also acknowledges the temporary inconvenience doing so will create for residents, businesses, and visitors.  To that end, we are already planning a comprehensive communications and marketing strategy to mitigate as many impacts as possible, and to help everyone continue to get where they need to go throughout the construction.

The approach will involve the efforts of the City’s Corporate Communications team and an independent advertising-marketing firm, for which we will soon issue an RFP.  Guelph’s communications approach will be modelled on Banff’s – a town that relies exclusively on Tourism, and that ripped up its entire downtown for infrastructure improvements for the whole summer of 2007.  Banff’s approach is now regarded as a best practice, and has been referenced by other cities in North America and beyond.

In brief, we will work to:

Develop a brand for the infrastructure renewal effort

• Mitigate discontent and frustration, and inspire a sense of promise for what is to come when improvements are complete
• Encourage residents to continue to come downtown
• Encourage visitors to continue to visit Guelph
• Help residents and visitors enjoy their experience in downtown Guelph once they get here.

Personnel

Postings for project management staff will be contracted for work associated with our municipal buildings.  The City will also require some in-house staff to execute work associated with the high number of roads projects that we’ll be undertaking.  In particular, we will need assistance handling the financial and reporting workload associated with all of these projects.