Ontario ‘bureaucracy’ causing safety issue on Fiddlers Green Road, says Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson

Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson is blaming provincial bureaucracy" for putting the safety" of children at risk for not allowing the city to construct a needed sidewalk to prevent pedestrians from walking along a busy roadway.

In August, councillors agreed to spend $80,000 to extend the sidewalk from the Highway 403 bridge on Fiddlers Green Road to Enmore Avenue.

Ferguson said that children walking to their classes on the north side of the bridge have to cross it to attend the schools in the area.

There is a sidewalk on the bridge, but then there is a very short piece" where there is no sidewalk except gravel and dirt before encountering a new patch of asphalt before Enmore Avenue. The sidewalk begins again on the other side of Enmore.

St. Joachim Catholic Elementary School and Ancaster Senior Public School are both located off Amberly Boulevard, while Frank Panabaker Elementary School is nearby on Senior Drive.

But Ferguson discovered the city is unable to receive a permit to install the new sidewalk because the Ministry of Transportation is studying the guardrail on the bridge.

This deeply troubles me," said Ferguson. Bureaucracy is getting in the way of fixing a very serious health and safety problem with children."

He said having children walking on the edge of the road" during the winter months is a problem.

I know council can't instruct staff to break the law," said Ferguson.

Edward Soldo, director transportation operations, said work may have to be delayed until next spring.

We know what the solution is. It's pretty straight forward. Unfortunately, we can't implement the solution until we get the permit from the ministry," said Soldo. It is their property."

He said city officials have taken many steps to raise the issue" with higher levels" of ministry officials.

Soldo acknowledged it is an unsafe situation" for pedestrians. He has instructed staff to delineate" the area with markers to make drivers aware of the area.

Jacob Ginger, spokesperson with the Ministry of Transportation, stated that the province is always willing to look at any suggestions" to improve safety. He said Ontario is working" with Hamilton officials to implement the design.

Meanwhile, Soldo told Ferguson that we are trying to expedite the process as quickly as we can" with the province.