Thanks to a partnership between the Municipality of Lakeshore and Hydro One, a number of new local investments are coming to Comber.
At their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 19, Lakeshore councillors approved the first round of projects in in Comber as part of the Hydro One Community Support Agreement.
In August of 2023, Lakeshore entered into the agreement with Hydro One that will see $8-million in new local investments, including $5.8 million to directly support culture and recreation projects.
Some of the projects include:
- A new park, including a dog park, in the Tracey Park Subdivision Neighbourhood Park
- A new grassed parkette with benches, gazebo, and trees
- Replacement of Comber community signage, including wayfinding
- Sidewalk/trail placement/replacement
- Streetscaping on Main Street, including garbage receptacles, benches, plantings and enhancements to the Veterans Memorial site
- A pollinator garden in partnership with community organizations
- New digital signage to enhance public awareness of community events and programs
- Improvements to the Comber Community Centre
- $5,000 towards the 2024 Comber Fair fireworks display
Council also directed administration to work with the Comber Agricultural Society to investigate improvements to the Comber Fairgrounds and bring a report back for consideration at a later date.
Additionally, Lakeshore staff will collaborate with Hydro One on project recognition to showcase the ongoing partnership.
Mayor Tracey Bailey says community input is critical to their decision-making, and they saw a great response from residents in the affected area.
She says Comber is one of the impacted areas of Hydro One's transmission expansion, so it makes sense to approve these investments at this time.
"It was an amazing opportunity to be able to negotiate some funding that assisted and allowed us to put these kind of things in place. Many of the projects were submitted as well by members of the community. The Comber community came together and they made submissions, so this isn't a list we thought up it's a list the residents themselves thought up," she said.
Bailey says the transmission expansion is a good news story for the region, and this means Comber will benefit.
"So it's the transmission station in Comber where all of that work has to connect, the lines and the disturbance in terms of construction and all that kind of stuff is happening in Comber. Residents have been very patient and have been fantastic along the way. The region is getting the energy it needs and Comber has some really great opportunities."
She says everything they're now moving forward on came about as a result of the Comber community.
"The residents themselves and the Comber community that came together to submit their ideas. So they made it easy for members of council to support what the community themselves want. Council and I are thrilled to see these community projects moving forward, and I know residents have been eager to hear what's in store," Bailey said.
This agreement is part of Hydro One's transmission expansion that will support the agri-food sector, economic growth, and the region's clean energy future.
Bailey says they'll align any future projects in the impacted communities as the expansion moves along.
- with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides