More grass and less concrete.
That’s the direction Rideau Lakes councillors took June 22, scaling back part of a sidewalk construction project after hearing from Portland residents.
Council voted to award a contract to Aloia Bros. Concrete Contractors Ltd. for $106,586.50, plus the township’s share of HST, to complete accessibility upgrades and sidewalk improvements in Elgin, Newboro and Portland. As part of the decision, councillors directed staff to remove one section of the planned sidewalk replacement in Portland and negotiate a revised contract price.
Manager of Facilities and Parks Steve Holmes said he was pleased to see the project come in under budget.
Council approved $120,000 for the work in the 2026 budget, leaving room for contingencies and construction inspections.
The work includes creating an accessible parking stall with a new sidewalk ramp and tactile plates at the Elgin Drug Store on Main Street, replacing sections of sidewalk in Newboro, installing new curb and gutter to improve drainage near the Newboro harbour parking lot, and sidewalk work in Portland.
It was the Portland portion that sparked discussion.
Coun. Sue Dunfield questioned why council was proceeding with plans to replace about 108 metres of sidewalk on Perth Street between Campbell Street and Main Street after members of Portland’s Community Enhancement Committee had suggested removing it instead.
Holmes said staff were following council’s previous direction.
“There was a motion previously passed by council to replace the sidewalk where it currently exists with a new sidewalk,” he said.
He added the sidewalk provides pedestrian access from the municipal parking lot to Main Street, Water Street, the harbour and neighbouring properties.
Dunfield said residents had asked council to remove the deteriorating sidewalk rather than replace it.
“The request from the people who actually live in the village of Portland suggested that by removing the current sidewalk, which is in very poor repair, and just turning it into grass is what they have recommended,” she said, adding pedestrians often walk on the roadway because the street is narrow.
Council unanimously approved Dunfield’s amendment directing staff to remove the existing sidewalk and restore the area with soil and grass instead of replacing it.
Coun. Paula Banks supported the amendment but said the township should develop a broader sidewalk strategy for its villages rather than making decisions one street at a time.
“We have talked about reducing sidewalks in villages, but we seem to be doing it piecemeal and without enough village input,” Banks said. “We need a more fulsome vision for sidewalks.”
Coun. Dustin Bulloch suggested the township could eventually consider widening narrow village roads for shared pedestrian and vehicle use when roads are reconstructed if sidewalks are removed.
Council also endorsed staff’s recommendation to bypass the lowest bid.
Four companies submitted proposals, with IK Construction offering the lowest bid at $64,500. Holmes said the submission was substantially lower than the other bids, raising concerns the estimate did not accurately reflect the scope of work. He also noted the company had no municipal project experience, having completed only smaller commercial projects.
Instead, staff recommended awarding the contract to Aloia Bros. after checking references with the cities of Vaughan and Mississauga, both of which reported positive experiences with the contractor on municipal concrete projects.
Coun. Marcia Maxwell thanked Holmes for carrying out that additional review.
“I just wanted to thank Steve for not automatically taking the low bid and researching it a little more,” she said. “I was concerned with the range in pricing there too. So it’s good to see that he took steps and did that.”
Council approved the amended contract unanimously, which will come to a future council meeting for ratification.
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