By Spencer Sterritt

New sidewalks coming to busy stretch of Dufferin Cres.

Feb 21, 2018 | 4:51 PM

NANAIMO — A stretch of Dufferin Cres. will soon look more residential with full sidewalks along a specific stretch of the road, replacing the raised curbs currently in place.

Nanaimo City Council approved a $300,000 project to build sidewalks on Dufferin Cres., specifically in front of four multi-unit housing buildings in the 1600 block near Boundary Cres.

Poul Rosen, senior manager of engineering, told councillors at a recent finance and audit committee meeting this is a long-gestating project, first discussed in 2014.

“It’s been in design for several months now. It’s well along its way to be ready for construction,” he said.

The project was to be tackled in 2019, but Rosen said unallocated funds from the 2018 Pedestrian Transportation Improvement budget made it possible to move up the timeline.

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Mayor Bill McKay asked why the City found itself having to build sidewalks on Dufferin Cres. in the first place.

Director of community development Dale Lindsay said the sidewalks weren’t built as part of housing developments on the block in the 1980s because it wasn’t required by the City at the time.

He reassured councillors creating sidewalks and pedestrian transportation is now part of all projects and it’s not an issue which will develop going forward.

More accessible transportation for pedestrians along Dufferin Cres. was chosen by the community as a high priority in the Hospital Area Planning process.

— with files from Ian Holmes

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit