GUELPH, ON, September 3, 2009 – The City of Guelph has determined that it will not proceed with construction of a culvert on the Hanlon Creek Business Park site in 2009, and will instead undertake culvert construction in 2010 as part of the overall servicing work for Phase 1 of the Business Park.

The decision comes this afternoon at the conclusion of careful analysis on the part of the City as to the environmental and technical implications of undertaking the construction in the fall rather than in the summer.  One month of critical summer work was lost between July 27 and August 27 as a result of a small group of protesters having occupied the site. The original work plan would have seen all in-stream work completed before August 31.  That plan was thwarted when protesters halted work on the project in July.

Construction of the tributary "A" culvert is considered to have lower environmental risks in the summer when groundwater levels and stream flows are low. Construction in the fall creates the potential for greater environmental impacts when groundwater and surface water levels are generally higher.  To perform the work this fall would require extensive de-watering (a process whereby the shallow water table is manually lowered) and an elaborate diversion of the stream, the first of which would require a permit to take water and both of which would be subject to a potentially lengthy approval process.

City officials have decided that deferral until 2010 is the environmentally responsible and generally more prudent route. "A handful of protesters have held our City hostage and ignored democratic processes. Regrettably, the result is a significant delay, which will ultimately cost city taxpayers," says Guelph's mayor Karen Farbridge.

The City's contractor will be on site over the next few days to remove equipment and stabilize the site.

All construction planned for 2010 will move forward without delay. The City will work with Industry Canada to secure the use of more than $621,000 in federal funding, announced today, when it resumes its work in 2010.  This funding was announced as part of the country's economic stimulus package to get Canadians working, create jobs and provide a legacy of longer-term economic benefits.

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