Council has approved additional spending in relation to the Talbot Trail realignment.
In a unanimous vote, council approved purchasing the four sections of land for approximately $235,200. This includes 0.02 acres of 2953 Talbot Trail, approximately 1.62 acres of 2961 Talbot Trail, approximately 2.52 acres of 3021 Talbot Trail, and approximately 0.08 acres of 3089 Talbot Trail.
Talbot Trail near Coatsworth Line has been closed since 2019 due to shoreline erosion.
Council also approved a contract amendment in the amount of $621,500.00 for the Stage 4 Archaeological Assessment for the Talbot Trail Realignment project and a second contract amendment in the amount of $282,500.00 for the First Nations Fieldwork Participation due in large part to broadening the search area and the inclement weather.
“The onset of winter weather has required us to pause the stage 4 archaeological work that we’ve been underway with,” said Chatham-Kent Director of Engineering Services Marissa Mascaro Amyotte. “Where possible, the project team will look at any opportunities to reconvene. We need some warm pockets of weather in order to make some notable progress on site. It’s strongly expected that some of the work may not be completed until the spring.”
Amyotte said once the archaeological work is complete, a report will be submitted to the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, and following approval, the project will be tendered. To date, the municipality has spent approximately $1.5 million on archaeological work and $500,000 on First Nations fieldwork participation.
