For a glimpse at the shape of things to come for St. Thomas, simply drive to the perimeter of the Yarmouth Yards industrial park.An equally dramatic preview is now available through the transformation of the road infrastructure on the western doorstep to St. Thomas.
The Talbotville Bypass (photo below) has rapidly displaced the farmland between Wonderland Road and Hwy. 4 north of Talbotville and is due for completion by the end of next year.
And this past week, the twinning of Hwy. 3 in St. Thomas was officially launched with a ceremony on the roadway, just west of the Centennial Avenue roundabout.
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack was joined by Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, on Tuesday morning to announce the start of advance work, including utility relocations and grading.
Flack spoke of the importance of the Hwy. 3 corridor.
“This is another important step forward for St. Thomas, Elgin County and our entire region.
“Change brings about important change when it comes, especially to infrastructure in this region. Whether it’s water, wastewater, roads, what we’re here to talk about today, we are making changes, good changes, that are investments for the future.“St. Thomas and Elgin County are one of Ontario’s fastest-growing economic success stories with transformational investments in advanced manufacturing, electric vehicle production, housing and infrastructure, and our community is helping lead Ontario’s economy now and in the future.”
Flack continued, “That kind of growth brings incredible opportunity, but it also brings us new demands on the infrastructure I just previously talked about.
“People need to be able to get to work safely and efficiently. Businesses need reliable transportation corridors to move goods and attract investment. Emergency services need dependable routes, and families deserve less time sitting in traffic and more time at home.
“Highway 3 is a vital corridor that connects our communities and supports thousands of daily commuters, commercial vehicles and visitors. Our region continues to grow. Investing in this highway will ensure we have the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of economic growth. This project sends a clear message that Ontario is planning ahead as it will unlock new housing opportunities, support existing employers, attract new investment, strengthen our supply chains and ensure that communities like St. Thomas remain competitive for decades to come.”The work will entail the twinning of Hwy. 3 from Centennial Avenue to Ron McNeil Line, including a second bridge over Kettle Creek in a project to be completed by the end of the decade.
Sarkaria called it a great day for St. Thomas and a great day for Ontario, and stressed, “The expansion of Hwy. 3 will connect people to good-paying jobs, support housing growth, and help businesses access the workforce they need to drive economic growth.”He added, “Our government continues to invest to build a stronger, more self-reliant and self-resilient economy and to protect Ontario. And that’s exactly what we’re doing by expanding Hwy. 3 and building the Talbotville Bypass.
Fedeli noted, “Our manufacturing sector accounts for over 800,000 hardworking men and women across Ontario. So while President Trump’s tariffs continue to target our strengths, Ontario’s resilience has been unwavering.
“And our government will continue to deliver on its mandate to protect this province and build a more prosperous future that can weather any storm.”
“This twinning of Highway 3 will complement the investments underway, improve access between the 401 and the St. Thomas industrial park, and together with the improvements to Highway 4, the Talbotville Bypass, this infrastructure will strengthen southwestern Ontario’s value proposition while ensuring workers have safe roads on which to commute and businesses are equipped to move goods more efficiently.”
Representing the City of St. Thomas, Coun. Jeff Kohler pointed out that “The advancement of enabling works including utility relocations and grading marks an important milestone as we move towards full construction in 2027.”
Fedeli concluded, “So to our municipal partners, builders, and all those who helped reach this really great milestone, thank you. With every milestone reached, we sustain St. Thomas’ growth for decades to come.”
Transportation Environmental Study Reports for the Talbotville Bypass and the twinning of Hwy. 3 are available online at http://www.highway3elgin.ca
CANDIDATE PROFILE: JEFF KOHLER, CITY OF ST. THOMAS
We continue with our profiles of the candidates running in the Oct. 26 municipal vote.
This week, St. Thomas Coun. Jeff Kohler, who is seeking to return as head of council next term.
He has served on city council for 22 years, beginning in 2000, when he was selected to fill the seat vacated by Helen Cole after Kohler finished third runner-up in the 1997 vote.
In 2003, he was chosen to fill the mayor’s seat vacated by Peter Ostojic, and in the municipal election later that year he successfully campaigned for mayor.
He lost his re-election bid in 2006 to Cliff Barwick, and returned to council as an alderman in 2010, and he has remained there ever since.We began our conversation by noting his longevity in the council chamber.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long. I know there have been some times on council that have felt that long, but these last eight years have been great.
“You know, the conditions have been set. St. Thomas is looking for a bright future regardless of the national and provincial trends. And I think right now people are looking for capable, local, proven leadership, and I think I have that to offer.”
Kohler agreed this is a far different municipality than in 2003 when he first sat as mayor.
“I look back at not only the council of the day, but staff. And that’s one thing that I think our council has done really well. We’ve been able to build a great team around us. The leadership team is phenomenal.
“I’ve had the opportunity, especially in the last couple of months, to meet with several of them. The collaboration between council and the leadership team is what’s really making a difference, and it’s refreshing.
“If we disagree on something, we agree to disagree, and we move forward. And then there are many times where I’ve read the agenda, and I thought I’m going to vote a certain way. And then you go in, and you have a discussion, and you change your mind where that would never have happened in the past.
“Our council’s done a great job, and we’ve got big shoes to fill with Joe being gone. I want St. Thomas to become the big beacon of Ontario as the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“When you look at the success that we’ve had as a city, it shows that. And that’s why I want to make sure that we continue to move with that momentum.
“And people have been telling me that they’re looking for effective leadership and capability. So that was one of the reasons that I felt that I needed to put my name forward to make sure that this collaboration between council and working together continues to move forward. And the business community recognizes that.
“I make sure I listen to people and at the end of the day, make my decision after that. I’ve listened to the members of council, listened to staff, and then I’ll move forward, and I’ll stick by my decision.”
Filling the void created by the departure of Mayor Joe Preston at the end of this term will be a challenge, admitted Kohler.
“Our council’s done a great job, and we’ve got big shoes to fill with Joe being gone. I want St. Thomas to become the big beacon of Ontario as the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
“We have a strong local economy, even outside of St. Thomas. And when we all work together, we can really show how those investment opportunities just continue to grow. And that’s going to be big for us in the future because we have some big projects.
“We can work on multiple levels with industry, world-leading industry, but at the end of the day, it’s all about our residents. We’ve got to keep moving forward, and part of that to help offset some of the impact on the budget will be to sell that land that’s in Yarmouth Yards.
“So we need to continue to work collaboratively so we look great to the investment community, and that will help offset any tax increases moving forward.”
Kohler stressed that with the investment comes the need for housing.
“We have to work together to continue that growth because all that investment coming in and the workers coming in, we need housing for them. We need to continue to develop our housing stock, make sure it’s diverse and accessible.
“And make sure that we have more community partners like the YWCA and their housing units coming on for low-income families and seniors.
“We’re working on a major transit study right now. So we need to make sure that people can still move around the city in a safe, accessible way, and make sure that we’re doing it properly.”
“As homeowners, we also want to make sure that our property values are maintained, but we also don’t want to see them getting to a level where people just can’t afford houses.”
We turned to the city’s housing partnerships with the YWCA, Indwell, Doug Tarry Homes and Eastwood Housing Corporation.
“We were able to contribute through donation of land on both Project Tiny Hope and the YWCA’s 53 Hiawatha Street proposal. So we’re continuing to find unique ways, think outside the box so that we’re not putting too much pressure on our residents.”
If elected, Kohler could face the prospect of presiding over a virtually stand-pat council.
“I would really enjoy working with this council. We do have some very tough times coming up, but I know as a group, we’ll be able to get through it. And that’s what I’m hopefully looking forward to, and hopefully I have the pleasure to, like I said, to represent the residents of St. Thomas and continue to build on the momentum.”
Another key focal point for Kohler is transit.
“We’re working on a major transit study right now. So we need to make sure that people can still move around the city in a safe, accessible way, and make sure that we’re doing it properly.
“So it was always at the forefront for council; we’ve done a lot with the transit. We still need to do more, so looking forward to that transit report coming out early in the next council. We’re still doing the framework behind it, but transit’s going to be big and to get that moving.”
Fiscal responsibility has to be front and centre, stressed Kohler. In particular, big-ticket items like the proposed aquatic/community centre.
“What we’re looking at there right now on our own, we can’t afford that. There’s no way. But at the end of the day, we need to do the investigation to make sure that we’re ready for it if the provincial and federal dollars come in along with the private sector.
“Have a shovel-ready project to move ahead and also work with some partners, which, you know, we’re looking at that right now. To make sure that it fits in and it serves our residents the right way without increasing taxes.”
Although located in the Municipality of Central Elgin, the re-development of the former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital lands will impact the city decades into the future.
Kohler stressed discussions are already underway.
“Right now we’re working with Central Elgin. And at the end of the day, they will need the servicing for that. So we’re looking at some of the agreements that we already have in place, how they fall into place with that. And at the end of the day. we need to work together.
“Our airport is in Central Elgin. That’s some prime land right there. We’ve proposed to them to have a joint industrial park where we could share the revenue.”
“I offer up capable, local, proven leadership. I’m looking forward to representing St. Thomas over the next four years. And hopefully people will get out, exercise their vote, and put their trust in me, Jeff Kohler.”
A critical road map for the city has been the Strategic Plan developed by this council.
“Our reports come out, and we make sure that they are tied to the Strategic Plan so we can see that what we’re doing, we’re sticking to the core responsibilities that we’re mandated to provide.”
Kohler has long been a proponent of growth should pay for growth.
“The government’s looked at trying to mitigate the housing prices by softening development charges. But we’ve always been prudent. St. Thomas, if you look at our development charges versus some other communities, there’s not a lot of adjustment that needs to be made.”
He confided he never thought he would have to pull the Kohler For Mayor signs out of storage.
“But I’m glad I hung on to them. They’re in good shape. And we’ve started the sign campaign. We’ve had some real positive feedback. We’re good to go. We’ve got lots of sign locations that have come in. “We’ve told people that we’re going to give them the summer so they’re not cutting around them. So we’re going to start the main campaign mid-August so we’re not flooding the market right now with the signs.
“It’s been overwhelming to be honest with you with the positive response that we’ve got and it’s it’s it’s been humbling.
“We’ve got the ground war ready to go. The Jeff Kohler Boot Camp will be starting mid-August as well when we get the brochures, the draft is complete, we’re ready to go, and so many people will be out and about, and you’ll see them, but it’s just to make sure that people can see what we’re offering up.”
Kohler agreed that social media was not a factor in his 2003 campaign.
“I never even engaged in that in 2003; it wasn’t there, but even in my last campaign we never engaged in that at all, but it’s been a huge part of our campaign already, and we’ve got a great team working with us on that and making sure that the site is up.”
Whatever the outcome, Kohler would like to see a turnaround in voter participation.
“As a council, we’ve moved forward to make things easier with the online voting, so hopefully that will help, and people will get used to it. And realize how easy it is. It doesn’t matter how bad the weather is; you can do it over your phone or on the computer in a couple of minutes.”
Kohler concluded, “I offer up capable, local, proven leadership. I’m looking forward to representing St. Thomas over the next four years. And hopefully people will get out, exercise their vote, and put their trust in me, Jeff Kohler.
“Joe Preston made the decision that he did, and we totally respect that and understand why. It’s a big loss to us, but I’m fully prepared to offer my capable local, proven leadership to try to continue on with that. I know with this team that we will be successful.
“Joe and I have been friends for a long time, and he’s got me on speed dial; I got him on speed dial, and we’ll continue to do that. I’m not letting him go too far.”
Next week, St. Thomas mayoral hopeful Aidan Frederick.
A HIGH NOTE FOR WESTLAKE-EVANS PARK
An active and accessible downtown recreational hub is about to take a musical turn.
The crowning piece at Westlake-Evans Civic Park was unanimously approved at the July 13 city council meeting.
As noted in her report to council, Adrienne Lacey Griffin, Director of Parks and Recreation, reminded members that “From the earliest stages of planning, the vision for the park extended beyond traditional park amenities to include a publicly accessible piano and a dedicated space for community performances and cultural programming, and community gathering in partnership with the St. Thomas Public Library.”She added, “The goal was to create a vibrant destination where recreation, arts, culture, and community connection could come together in a welcoming public setting.”
City staff have partnered with ROA Studio “to develop a modern, architecturally distinctive design that complements the character of Westlake-Evans Park and the surrounding downtown environment.”
Accuratus Design & Build Inc. of London submitted the lowest compliant bid of $855,500.00 (excluding HST).
Her report advised, “The total approved budget for the Westlake-Evans Park project is $2,100,000, comprised of $500,000 from donations, $1,528,800 in funding through the ICIP grant program, and $71,200 funded through the municipal tax levy. As of the date of this report, approximately $1,180,000 has been spent on the project.”
Construction is expected to begin this month, with substantial completion targeted for this November.
Questions and comments may be emailed to City Scope
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And a reminder, I can be heard weekday afternoons as news anchor and reporter on 94.1 myFM in St. Thomas. As always, your comments and input are appreciated.
