Residents who thought the extension of Garafraxa Street in Fergus to a new Groves hospital is a dead issue can think again.
At the last public meeting to consider the future of lands at Wellington Place, county planning committee chairman Shawn Watters announced planners and the committee had heeded the advice of the public and had dropped plans to extend Garafraxa Street to the new hospital.
A large number of community members were opposed to that extension, mainly because it would have crossed the Elora to Cataract Trail not once, but twice. People were up in arms several years ago when the county built a service road across the same trail.
But councillor John Green told council on Nov. 24 he would not want to see the Garafraxa Street extension eliminated from the Wellington Place plans.
Green said such an extension would give ambulances a speedy way to reach the hospital when time could be critical for a patient and also allow ambulances to avoid downtown Fergus.
He said his talks with the planner indicate up to 8,000 people in Centre Wellington could be affected positively if the extension is built.
Green added it would be a simple matter to put a couple of culverts under the extension road so the trail is safe for pedestrians and hikers, while ambulances could still reach the new hospital quickly.
Councillor Joanne Ross-Zuj said the issue in on Centre Wellington’s agenda and that of the hospital building committee. Hospital officials have specifically stated they want Garafraxa Street extended.
Ross-Zuj said the issue will be discussed further.
