Puslinch councillors are trying to flag down representatives to let them know residents do want the train to stop here.
At present it seems local correspondence may be excluding Puslinch from future discussions on the Cambridge to Milton Passenger Rail Business Case and Implementation Strategy.
On June 25 Waterloo Region endorsed a proposed action plan for future rail service to Cambridge. The region and Cambridge are now working together to arrange a meeting to discuss the next steps.
However, as Puslinch councillors discussed the matter on Sept. 17, Mayor Dennis Lever noted that council had seen brief summaries of the proposals in recent months.
Councillor Wayne Stokley said last time council saw the information there appeared to be potential for a train station in Puslinch. Stokley said the item is still in the newer reports, but it appeared proponents seem to be moving away from Puslinch being a possible station.
“It really bothers me because … it seems that because the Highway 6 bypass is not being developed at this point (proponents) do not believe they can view Puslinch as a final location for a station.”
Stokley said Puslinch is losing out because of what is happening at the provincial level. He asked if the item has been brought up by the group looking at the economic impacts of not moving the Morriston bypass forward.
Stokley said the municipality may lose out on having a train station because the bypass is not in place.
He was further concerned with a statement in the report which stated Wellington County and the township were very much opposed to a new station.
“I don’t ever recall as a councillor saying I was opposed to a new station going in. The report is making comments I’ve never heard. They are making decisions and saying we have voiced these concerns … when we haven’t.”
Mayor Dennis Lever said this report marked the first he’d heard these comments as well.
However, he said this project began a number of years ago and the comments may have originated from a previous council and staff.
CAO Karen Landry stated the only comment made from the current council was a request that the proposal take the Highway 6 bypass into consideration.
Lever said the other thing to consider is that this is being proposed as a Cambridge to Milton line. He said the current council was never asked for comments.
Stokley agreed the primary consideration was a Cambridge to Milton line, but there were options of additional stations in between. “But they are comparing Puslinch and Campbellville for a third station,” Stokley said.
“It is unfortunate they are making a decision based on the Highway 6 issue because Puslinch would obviously be a much more lucrative area because of its location on a north/south corridor and the access compared to Campbellville.”
Lever said one of the comments was that a GO station would dramatically increase the amount of traffic without a highway bypass.
Councillor Susan Fielding agreed that Puslinch should be included in the discussion since the line travels through the municipality.
“I think we should have a voice at the table,” said Fielding. “Unfortunately I think this report has used really old information, because I don’t recall those statements made in my years as a councillor.”
She said there was a big flurry about the rail line about 15 years ago.
If those comments were made by Puslinch, they were from a long time ago, she said.
