Georgina to spend six figures on welcome feature

July 3, 2014
Yorkregion.com
By Heidi Riedner

A six-figure price tag split three ways will fund a facelift for the future at Georgina’s new gateway off of the much anticipated Hwy. 404 extension.

Esposito Bros. Construction Ltd. was awarded the contract for streetscape enhancements and a new welcome feature at Ravenshoe Road and Woodbine Avenue in Keswick for $628,680.

The figure includes HST, a contingency and project management fees, the town’s supervisor of communications and economic development Kelan Jylha said.

Under the Region of York’s Municipal Streetscape Partnership Program (MSPP), it is contributing 50 per cent of the total cost of both projects.

The Town of Georgina and Town of East Gwillimbury will split the remainder since the intersection straddles municipal boundaries, but a financial breakdown between the two municipalities will be confirmed once construction costs are finalized on the project, Jylha added.

The official gateway will welcome an additional traffic capacity of at least 3,600 vehicles per hour in each direction with the opening of the highway, according to past regional transportation services committee reports addressing “near capacity” travel routes between Georgina, East Gwillimbury and Newmarket.

Currently four regional roads - Woodbine and Warden avenues, Leslie Street and the 2nd Concession take the brunt of commuters travelling north-south from Georgina representing close to 80 per cent of work trips, according to the region’s 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey.

Georgina’s feature wall will be built on the northeast corner of Woodbine and Ravenshoe, bringing to fruition plans first initiated in 2006.

Several meeting and design concepts later, shifting the overall tone and feel of the feature wall to reflect Georgina’s new economic direction rather than a look back to our heritage was one of the many aspects of the new model that appealed to Mayor Grossi when the plans were given council’s stamp of approval back in 2011.

The road gateway entry feature will be a great way to welcome residents, visitors, newcomers and new investment into the town, Mayor Rob Grossi said last week.

The stone wall will include the town logo in precast stone, steel cut blue waves and the word ‘Georgina’ on its face.

Landscaping will reflect the area’s native trees, plants and grasses set amongst granite boulders in varying sizes and extensive use of beachstone to create a shoreline effect.

Metal sculptures depicting blue herons, white fish and lake trout are also to be included.

The feature should also bear witness to substantial growth in Georgina once the highway extension is finally open after a two-year delay from its original promised completion date by the province.

Holding patterns on developments primarily in the south end of Keswick cannot be removed until sufficient road capacity is provided by the 404 extension to prevent unmanageable pressure on the existing transportation network, according to the town’s planning department.

In addition, a cohesive strategy to attract new business and industry to the area - now that the end of the waiting road is finally in sight - is one of the town’s economic development division’s top priorities.

While a comprehensive residential blueprint is already in place for the municipality, attracting investment in Georgina is expected to not only bring better jobs and opportunities, but also help offset residential taxes through commercial and development taxes.

resenting close to 80 per cent of work trips, according to the region’s 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey.

Georgina’s official gateway should also herald more growth, once the highway is open.

Development primarily in the south end of Keswick has been on hold pending the 404 extension to prevent unmanageable pressure on the existing transportation network.

A strategy to attract new business and industry to the area, now that the end of the road is sight, is one of the town’s top priorities since attracting investment in Georgina not only brings better jobs and opportunities, but also helps offset residential taxes, the town said.