Burlington council to debate sidewalk installations
City staff recommend installing sidewalks to increase walkability, while Coun. Paul Sharman and some residents who’ve never had sidewalks oppose the plan
In advance of next week’s council committee meeting that will consider installing sidewalks on three streets in his lakefront ward, Burlington councillor Paul Sharman said if traffic isn’t an issue, residents who don’t want sidewalks shouldn’t have them.
On Jan. 8, a committee of Burlington councillors will discuss a city transportation services’ report that recommends sidewalks be installed on the south side of Bromley Road, and on the east side of Linwood Crescent and Maureen Court, in the lakefront Elizabeth Gardens’ neighbourhood of Ward 5.
City transportation staff endorse the sidewalks as part of the development of the city’s multimodal transportation system in keeping with Burlington’s strategic plan.
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Further, city staff studies indicate the streets meet the criteria of traffic and pedestrian volumes, as well as dwelling units to warrant sidewalks.
“My general view is if you bought a house that didn’t have a sidewalk, there isn’t significant traffic and you don’t want a sidewalk, you shouldn’t have a sidewalk,” Sharman said in an interview.
The lakefront community was intended to be “park-like,” Sharman said.
“This is a very old community,” Sharman said. “The Pineland area was probably built in the ’60s or ’70s. It was intended to be a park-like environment. That’s more true for the area west of Bayfield than east of Bayview. Pineland (Avenue) doesn’t have any sidewalks.”
Last July, some residents presented Sharman and the city clerk with a petition stating their opposition to the sidewalks.
Bromley residents west of Bayview Crescent don’t have sidewalks and don’t want them, Sharman said.
“The folks to the west of Bayfield said no,” Sharman said. “Every single homeowner said, ‘we don’t want them.’”
Bromley Road east of Bayfield is another matter, Sharman added. There, traffic is more significant and city work is underway replacing services, and resurfacing roads and curbs.
“The sidewalks there are a mess,” Sharman said. “They’re inconsistent. There are bits and pieces of it that should be replaced. Most people are happy to have sidewalks recreated as a continuum.”
City staff said in a report the proposed sidewalks are necessary to meet the demands of pedestrian traffic volumes in the neighbourhood.
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“The inclusion of sidewalks as part of the proposed reconstruction works contributes to the goal of increasing walkability,” the report stated. “Bromley Road, Linwood Crescent and Maureen Court provide direct connections to several significant pedestrian generators. Expansion of the pedestrian network serves to create critical linkages connecting the existing residential lands to adjacent parks, schools, and community amenities, as well as providing residents the opportunity to access transit.”
Pedestrian generators are locations expected to generate pedestrian traffic, such as parks, schools and recreational facilities.
Staff further stated the streets are in proximity to several significant pedestrian generations, including: a transit stop at Lakeshore Road and White Pines Drive, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, St. Patrick’s Catholic Elementary School, Bromley Park, Skyway Arena and Lakeside Shopping Village.
is a journalist in Etobicoke reporting hard news, politics and health and human-interest stories. Tamara loves to travel and is a fan of foreign and independent films.
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