South Glengarry wants city water for properties on Boundary Road

South Glengarry wants city water for properties on Boundary Road
Cornwall city hall

CORNWALL, Ontario – South Glengarry wants to borrow a cup of water from Cornwall city hall.

Make that a few million cups of water.

The rural municipality made a public plea to members of Cornwall council Monday to connect properties on the east side of Boundary Road to the city’s fresh water and waste water systems.

South Glengarry Mayor Ian McLeod said increased development on Boundary Road spurred his community to make the request.

“We’ve seen over the last couple of years Boundary Road…certainly has had many, many changes. It’s no longer just a connecting link. It has become an employment centre,” he said. “I think it is acknowledged by everyone in business that you require full municipal services.

“It’s working, but it’s not working nearly as well as it should.”

City council has referred the request to administrators who will prepare a report on the feasibility of such a move.

Cornwall’s municipal water system could easily accommodate the request. Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy said the water works in Cornwall currently operates at just 30 per cent of its capacity.

“That leaves a lot of capacity,” he added.

But just how much it would cost to see the scheme become a reality remains to be seen. MacLeod could not provide, when pressed by city Coun. Claude McIntosh, a specific dollar figure for the project – nor could he say definitively how much water the township needs.

O’Shaughnessy said some of those answers could come when city administrators submit their report on the subject. It’s not known when city administrators will be ready to release their report.

In the meantime the Cornwall mayor said the project would see the city water system connected to buildings and properties that have already been developed.

“You would be looking at servicing existing structures,” he said.

The mayor also added a memorandum of understanding Cornwall signed with North Glengarry years ago, to transport city water to communities in Alexandria and Maxville, appears to be finished.

“It seems that that project is dead,” conceded the mayor.

MacLeod said only properties on the east side of Boundary Road, from Tyotown Road north to Highway 401, would be serviced by city water, if the agreement becomes a reality.

It’s believed any costs associated with the plan would be borne by South Glengarry.

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