The town received $2.3 million for a new town hall, $166, 000 for a trail along Beaver River from Thornbury to Clarksburg and $1.3 million for the replacement of water and and sewer service and road infrastructure in plan 915.

Mayor Ellen Anderson gave a little chorus from We're in the Money, with an enthusiastic thank you to the federal government.

Guergis said her riding, Simcoe-Grey, and The Blue Mountains did "exceptionally well" when it came to allocating the $3.9 billion reserved for Ontario municipalities.

She said she wasn't going to stop with this announcement and would continue to ask municipalities what they needed, and what they would like to see the federal government doing for municipalities and for the local economies.

The funding is part of the Building Canada and Infrastructure stimulus funds promised by the federal government in its Economic Action Plan. The funds will be matched by the provincial and municipal governments.

The funding guidelines require a municipality to have half the money spent by March 2010 and the rest by March 2011.

Beaver River Trail

The Blue Mountains plans to build a trail from the mouth of the Beaver River in Thornbury to Clendenan Dam in Clarksburg.

The federal government announced  $166,000 in funding for the trail project. The province and the town will also add that amount to create a budget of $498,000.

Director of recreation, Shawn Everitt said the trail will be mostly limestone gravel and will run along the river as much as possible with some side trails with a natural base.

"The new trail will connect with some of the best natural trails in town on lands owned by the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority," said Everitt.

The trail route will use lands owned by the Conservation Authority and town right of ways and road allowances.

"This trail will be an exciting feature to the town as well as providing some great vistas of the river that have been hidden for years," said Everitt, adding that the town aimed to make this an interpretive trail to highlight the history, habitat and vegetation of the areas along the river.

The trail is part of a long-term goal of the towns to have better walk-ability and connectivity between the different parts of The Blue Mountains.

Plan 915

The federal government also announced approval of $1.3 million towards the Plan 915 reconstruction project.

With provincial and municipal funding, the project amounts to $3.9 million.

The plan includes reconstruction of roads, replacement of water mains, and sanitary sewers, drainage improvements and streetlight upgrades.

The project includes Carmichael Crescent, Plater Street, Campbell Crescent and Kinsey Place, just off Grey Road 19.

Deputy Mayor Duncan McKinlay said the affected area is in need of repair, as it was one of the first locations in The Blue Mountains to receive water and sewer service.

The town did plan to go ahead with the project in phases before it learned of the extra funding. Now the entire project will be tendered simultaneously. The project must be completed by March 2011.

New Town Hall

Construction of a new town hall for The Blue Mountains will begin at the end of September, according to staff.

Director of building and planning, David Finbow said site preparation has begun with the demolishing of the old gas station and Diane's Attic building.

The underground tanks that used to store gasoline are slated to be removed this week, and some clean-up will be done on the impacted soil that was underneath the building and tanks.

The schematic designs for the new town hall are complete and architects are working on the more detailed blueprints for construction design.

The plans have to go before council before work begins.

The new town hall was given a budget of $7.9 million, which includes, demolition, construction, design services, moving costs, LEED consulting, landscaping, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

The plan is to build the town hall to a silver level under the Leadership in Energy Design (LEED) standards.

The building will be designed according to a "Victorian industrial" theme, drawing inspiration from Toronto's brewery district, according to a recent presentation by Finbow to council.

The schematic designs for the hall feature a large atrium style indoor street running through the centre of the building fronting Mill Street and backing a large park and pavilion with an amphitheatre and eventually a skating loop to serve as a public gathering space.

The new building will have a large council chamber, something the town currently lacks. Council now meets at L. E. Shore library or at the Beaver Valley Community Centre.

The town hall will be completed by March 2011, which is in accordance with the rules for the federal and provincial funding.

Deputy Mayor Duncan McKinlay recognized the general public concerns about the cost of a new town hall, but following the announcement he said he hoped that people would realize the economic benefit of going ahead with the project at this time and the good that would come from federal and provincial money injected into the local economy.