Ontario Street RR42 - Underground Improvements, Watermain Replacement

Notice of Construction

P21-003 Ontario Street (Regional Road 42) Underground Improvements - Watermain Replacement

The City of St. Catharines is carrying out underground infrastructure improvements on Ontario Street (RR #42) from Carlton Street to approximately 60 metres North of Hiscott Street.

 The scope of the construction project includes: 

• Replacing the existing cast iron watermains with a new PVC watermain. This will include the replacement of any substandard water services within the road allowance to the property line.
• Reconnection of all water services to the new watermain within the project limits.

• Restoration of existing sidewalks, curbs, boulevards and driveways, as necessary, that may get disturbed during construction. 

Demar Construction Inc. has been awarded the construction contract. Construction for this project is anticipated to start mid to late May 2024 and will continue until December 2024 (weather dependent), with final restorations possibly in Spring 2025. The map above shows the general area and the project limits.

Every effort will be made to maintain access to abutting properties and to minimize inconvenience to businesses, residents, pedestrians, and motorists. A City Construction Inspector will be present on the site during construction and can be contacted for information.

In order to protect construction workers and the public and to complete the work safely and in a timely manner, temporary lane restrictions will be in place for most of the construction operations. Road closures and detours will be avoided as much as possible.  Although the contractor will implement necessary traffic control measures, minor traffic congestion or delays will be unavoidable at certain times.  The contractor will ensure that Emergency Services have access to properties throughout construction.  Please contact us if you have any specific accessibility requirements or concerns.  Although the contractor is required to provide safe pedestrian access, care should be exercised when walking through or near any construction zones.

Pre-construction Inspections

Prior to construction, representatives from Pre-Con Technical Services Inc. will be contacting you to arrange for an inspection of the interior and exterior of your building. The purpose of this inspection is to determine and document any existing cracking or other damages prior to the commencement of construction. This information can then be used to determine the extent of the Contractor's responsibility in the unlikely event should any damage to your building occur during construction.  Pre-Con Technical Services Inc. representatives will have identification with them.

Garbage and Recycling Collection during Construction

As a result of the proposed construction on Ontario Street, it may, at times, be difficult for the garbage and recycling vehicles to collect your curbside waste.  Therefore, until the construction work is completed to a point where the vehicles may travel safely in your area at their normal collection time, we are requesting that the curbside garbage and recycling be placed out for collection by 6:30 a.m. or alternatively the evening before your scheduled curbside collection day. The garbage and recycling trucks will be dispatched regularly; however, if there is no access to pick up the curbside waste in front of your property due to construction, the construction crews may relocate the garbage to a more convenient area for pick-up before starting work each morning. Garbage bin collections on private property is not expected to be affected except for the possible traffic related delays. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Disruption to Water Service

Your water service will need to be shut off at some point during construction. This is so crews can connect newly installed watermains to the City’s existing watermain system and/or service lines to individual properties. You will be notified a minimum of 48 hours in advance of all planned water shut offs.  There is also the possibility for emergency unplanned water shut offs. These can happen when watermains burst or when service lines are ruptured. Crews will restore your water service as quickly as possible during these circumstances.  For both planned and unplanned water shut offs, once water service is restored, we recommend running a cold water tap for five minutes prior to drinking tap water.

Restoration

Residents should note that at some locations, private irrigation / sprinkler systems may have been installed within the boulevards or easements.  The City-owned boulevard, from the curb or edge-of-road to the property line, is part of the road allowance. The boulevard may or may not include a sidewalk. Such irrigation / sprinkler installations are prone to damage during maintenance or renewal of underground infrastructure and new utility installations.  The City cannot be held liable for damage to anything installed in the boulevard without the City's approval.  Therefore, residents and property managers are requested to identify and clearly mark any parts of their private irrigation/sprinkler systems within the boulevards prior to construction.  The Construction Inspector will review and inform if any marked irrigation / sprinkler systems are in the way of the proposed construction.  Damage to boulevards and/or driveway aprons due to construction will be restored once construction of the watermain is completed.  If your boulevard or driveway is damaged during construction and is not restored, please contact us.

Health Precautions

Please be aware that the City’s contractors are required to strictly adhere to the health and safety guidelines for workplaces as required by the province and local public health authorities.

Project Contacts during Construction

We look forward to working with you and having the City’s contractor complete this project in a professional and timely manner.  If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the inspector on-site or the Project Team member identified below. 

Jim Stranges, C.E.T.
Senior Project Manager
City of St. Catharines 
50 Church Street P.O. Box 3012
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7C2
Tel.: 905.688.5601 ext. 1606
Email: jstranges@stcatharines.ca

Andrea Somerville
Project Manager
Demar Construction Inc.
2140 Allanport Road
Allanburg, ON L0S 1A0
Tel.: 905-680-4849
Email: andrea@demarconstruction.ca

Jason Trombetta
Construction Inspector
City of St. Catharines
Email: jtrombetta@stcatharines.ca

The City of St. Catharines recognizes that construction is an inconvenience to residents and business owners. Every effort will be made to minimize any inconveniences and to carry out the work with as few interruptions to services as possible. We thank you for your patience, and your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Engineering, Facilities and Environmental Services - April 29, 2024