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August 2022 - Posts

Connecting Link - Update for August 30, 2022

Connecting Link update for August 30, 2022. Crews are currently working on the intersection at Preston St. All new infrastructure at Preston St. and Algonquin Blvd. is complete. Crews will start the disinfection procedure on the new watermain system this week. Hydro One will be moving services from old utility poles to new poles within the work zone. Once this is complete, the old utility poles will be removed and crews will complete the subdrains and start preparing for curb and sidewalk installation from just east of Theriault Blvd. to Preston St.

Work in the Beer Store parking lot has been finished and paving is being scheduled.

As we head towards the Mountjoy intersection, we are expecting to hit bedrock and may have to blast. You can see some of the existing rock formation on Algonquin by the Senator Hotel. A pre-blast survey has been completed by the contractor with all area businesses and residents in the area.

Finally, with the downpour we got last night, crews had some minor pumping of the excavation site this morning, but it won’t have impact on work progress.

Posted by Amanda Dyer On Aug 30, 2022 at 1:06 PM

Timmins Transit: How Public Transportation Works Post-COVID

On September 3, Timmins Transit will end its temporary summer service reduction and resume the modified schedule implemented during the pandemic. Route 16 (South Porcupine / Porcupine) and Routes 37 and 38 (Melrose / Riverside) will return to 30-minute frequency. Timmins Transit will continue to run a modified Saturday schedule Monday to Friday based on current ridership numbers.

Ridership refers to the number of the people who use the bus. That number has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. What does this mean for operations? Before COVID, transit fares covered roughly 35% of operating costs (fuel, wages, maintenance, and administration). On an operational budget exceeding $5 million, the municipal tax base had to absorb 64% of the costs with just 1% coming from other revenues. Since COVID, transit fares have covered just 19% of operational costs with the tax base now covering 68%. The City has also had to rely on operational grants to cover 12% of transit operations, even though the cost to operate was reduced through service reduction. The totals provided are based on actuals from 2019 to 2021. Add to that on-going labour shortages that have made hiring drivers post-COVID challenging.

At this time, a modified schedule works best to balance service, convenience, and cost. Timmins Transit tracks ridership numbers every month and can respond to an increase in demand if necessary. Management has also initiated a complete route analysis that will help to determine system efficiency. It’s the first step in evaluating how to increase ridership and find alternative modes of service delivery that better suit the needs of our community.

Timmins Transit’s popular Northern College Express will also hit the road on September 6 to help students travel back and forth from the Transit Terminal on Spruce St. direct to the Northern College campus. This seasonal service is another example of how Timmins Transit works to actively address demand and improve service.

The City of Timmins is currently hiring part-time bus drivers. The successful candidate will have an acceptable driving record and be capable of possessing a Class “BZ” or “CZ” Ontario’s Driver’s License. No transit experience is required, training is provided. Learn more at: https://bit.ly/3KcasjA.

Track your bus online using https://tracker.timminstransit.ca or download the Timmins Transit app today from Google Play or App Store.

Posted by Amanda Dyer On Aug 23, 2022 at 11:31 AM

Deputy Mayor Kristin Murray Appointed Mayor of the City of Timmins

City Council has appointed Deputy Mayor Kristin Murray as Mayor ahead of the next municipal election on October 24, 2022. The appointment was of historic significance as Murray is notably the City’s first person of colour to serve on council and now as Mayor.

Murray is of Jamaican and Cree ancestry and is a registered member of Chapleau Cree First Nation. She was first elected as Councillor for Ward 5 in 2018. As a new councillor, Murray’s representation of the city’s diverse population brought invaluable lived experience to council.

“I am thrilled to have the support of my fellow councillors as I carry out the term as Mayor,” says Mayor Kristin Murray. “From the COVID-19 pandemic to the election of George Pirie as our local Member of Provincial Parliament, this term has been both challenging and exciting.

“On a personal level, I am humbled to be part of history as I become the city’s first person of colour to serve as Mayor. Let it be known that I don’t want to be known only as the first person of colour to hold this position. I am so much more than that. I am a community member who genuinely cares and wants the best for our region. We have some complex issues to address and I hope to contribute some innovative approaches to meeting our community’s needs. We also have some amazing projects underway and I am excited to help encourage the growth and development of Timmins and area.”

Murray will now serve as Timmins’ mayor until the city elects a new mayor and council later this fall. The resulting vacancy created by Murray’s appointment is within 90 days before voting day of the next regular election and does not need to be filled as per Ontario’s Municipal Act, 2001. City council will appoint a new deputy mayor at the next regular council meeting.

For more information on the 2022 municipal election, visit our Elections Page.

Posted by Amanda Dyer On Aug 10, 2022 at 1:00 PM

Construction Update (August 02, 2022)

Construction on segment 6 of the Connecting Link corridor continues with City contractors working on watermain and sewer infrastructure beneath Algonquin Blvd. Work is currently being completed between Rea St. and Preston St. moving east towards Mountjoy St.

The full segment will have complete reconstruction of the roadway, replacement of underground services, pole relocation, and curb installation.

Timmins Police Service has recently issued a couple of traffic advisories related to the southern detour along Commercial Ave. Motorists have been reminded that the “no left turn” signs on Wilson Ave. and Mountjoy St. S. should be adhered to and will be enforced and that the small section of Mattagami Blvd. S. at the bridge remains one-way. It is not part of any construction detour this summer. Motorists bypassing construction should continue to use the proper detour routes and be prepared for short delays.

Posted by Amanda Dyer On Aug 02, 2022 at 3:37 PM

Construction Update (June 29, 2022)

Construction on segment 6 of the Connecting Link corridor continues with City contractors moving forward on storm, sanitary, and watermain infrastructure beneath Algonquin Blvd. To date, watermain work is completed up to Rea St. S. moving east from Theriault Blvd.

The segment between Theriault Blvd. and Mountjoy St. will have complete reconstruction of the roadway, replacement of underground services, pole relocation, and curb installation.

Motorists bypassing construction are encouraged to use the proper detour routes. While there will be some congestion, each route was designed to redirect a higher volume of traffic off Algonquin Blvd. as efficiently as possible. Motorists should be prepared for short delays. City contractors will be adding additional detour signs along the southerly route, flashing beacons at all temporary stop signs, and signage indicating a 4-way stop or all-way stop is ahead. Line painting crews are also scheduled this week to add stop lines and crosswalk markings for temporary stops.

Posted by Amanda Dyer On Aug 02, 2022 at 3:34 PM