Small Bay Roberts street may get upgrade thanks to new subdivision

By Craig Westcott/June 9, 2022

Bay Roberts councillors have agreed to consider making upgrades to road infrastructure on Crosbie Place not because of a new application for a subdivision there, which sparked the discussion during last week’s public meeting, but because existing residents will benefit from the improvements.

Chief Administrative Officer Nigel Black noted the subdivision application had come to council before. The first time the developer had proposed to drill artesian wells for each of the three homes then in his plan so that the houses wouldn’t need to connect with the water main on Crosbie Place, but would instead connect to the sewer line.

“When we dug into that a little bit further, our public works department found that the existing infrastructure on Crosbie Road is not adequate and cannot handle even the three lot sewer flows,” Black said. “It’s barely capable of handling what we already have on Crosbie Place, so to add any development pressure to it would cause problems for the existing residences that are there.”

The developer was advised of that at the time and has since come back with a new proposal, this one for an eight-lot subdivision that would tie into the water line running to nearby Ascension Collegiate, but still flowing the sewerage to the line on Crosbie Place.

“So, they’re requesting that council upgrade at least the sewer services on Crosbie Road,” Black said.

Councillor Silas Badcock moved that council do just that. Councillor Frank Deering seconded it.

Mayor Walter Yetman said upgrades to both the water and the sewer lines on Crosbie Place would benefit all the residents and would also address any concerns about water pressure for the fire hydrants that would have to be installed for an eight-lot subdivision.

Black said his recommendation was that the matter be considered by council’s planning and public works committees, the former to examine what it would take to service the subdivision, the latter to estimate the costs of upgrading Crosbie Place.

“Whatever we do, we’ve got to make sure we do it right,” said Badcock.

Deering pointed out the Town would be responsible for the upgrades along Crosbie Place, not the laying of water and sewer lines in the subdivision. That cost would fall to the developer.

“I’m okay with upgrading it for the residents who are there, but I can’t really support upgrading it just for a new subdivision when we’ve got subdivisions going in who are doing their own sewer,” said councilor Dean Franey.

“I hear you loud and clear,” said Mayor Yetman, “and I’m in full support of what you’re saying.”

With that, Badcock amended his motion to reflect Black’s recommendation that the matter go to council’s two subcommittees for further consideration.

“It looks like this is all in progress, so I suggest that we get on this as soon as possible,” Badcock added. With that, Yetman called the vote on the amended motion, which passed unanimously.