MORRISBURG – Officials from four levels of government were on hand August 18 to cut the ribbon and officially conclude the $4.6 million Morrisburg roundabout and streetscape project.
The project was funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program by the federal and provincial governments, along with $1.6 million in funding split between the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry and the Municipality of South Dundas.
Officials on hand for the ribbon-cutting highlighted the cooperation between the four governments to get the project built.
“It’s good to see local municipalities working together to make this happen,” said Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Member of Parliament Francis Drouin, who represented the federal government at the ceremony. “Coming from Prescott-Russell, I have to say this is the nicest roundabout I’ve seen.”
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MP Eric Duncan acknowledged the over five years of work that it took to get the project planned, constructed, and completed.
“It’s great to see this officially done,” he said. “This is a good [funding] model – federal support, provincial support, and in this case, the Counties, and the municipality (South Dundas).”
SDG Counties Deputy Warden Allan Armstrong quipped, “this is not the same Morrisburg.”
“The United Counties is pleased that our partnership has resulted in a contemporary look for this important part of the region,” Armstrong continued. “This project is an excellent example of different levels of government working together as you can see – different levels, different parties, different objectives, and different outlooks – but we’re all here.”
Before cutting the ceremonial ribbon, South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds spoke of the transformation of the area from before the Seaway, when the intersection was the former Canadian National Railway overpass for Highway 31, to the main intersection for Morrisburg.
“It provides a much better transportation system to control the flow of traffic to the Morrisburg downtown and it gives us the opportunity to do different things to highlight the business community.”
Byvelds singled out South Dundas Economic Development Officer Rob Hunter for his efforts in the project. Planning began more than five years ago in the previous term of South Dundas council. Adding the streetscape to the project to rejuvenate County Road 2 through the business core of Morrisburg was Hunter’s work.
“I’d like to thank Rob Hunter for his thoughts and insights to start this project. This roundabout and streetscape project has the potential of transforming South Dundas and Morrisburg for years to come. I look forward to watching that happen.”
The project extended along CR 2 from St. Lawrence Street through to Laurier Street, including the new roundabout, reconfigured business entrances, curbing, sidewalks, lighting, a multi-use pathway, new crosswalks, drainage, and landscaping. Ground broke on the project in 2021.
A cost-sharing agreement for maintenance, upkeep, and new features for this roundabout and streetscape project, and the other three roundabouts in SDG Counties is currently being considered by Counties Council. Most items in that draft policy will be 50/50 funded.
This article was originally written for The Morrisburg Leader
