St. Thomas Line sidewalks not doable yet: council

By Mark Squibb

Paradise resident Linda Maher presented a petition on behalf of 187 residents of St. Thomas Line and surrounding area to council last week requesting sidewalks along the west side of St. Thomas Line.

“The lack of sidewalks, and the danger this poses, is of significant concern,” said Maher, reading from a prepared statement. “St. Thomas Line has a constant, busy flow of traffic. With Hamiliton’s Grocery being a popular destination, we see many residents walking, or riding bicycles and scooters. Since we don’t have sidewalks, they are using the narrow, uneven gravel strip between the road and the ditch. When vehicles pass people, it is nerve-wracking to watch.”
Maher said sidewalks would encourage residents to walk and bike more, and help build a stronger sense of community.

Councils’ stand is that the underground pipes need to be twinned before sidewalks can be installed, which would require government funding.

“These safety concerns have been brought forth to council by taxpayers over numerous years, but to no avail,” said Maher, adding that ‘lack of funding’ was the response she received when she first brought the matter to council 18 years ago.

“Now, 18 years later, we are still facing the same issues, but now we are facing more traffic, more houses constructed, more children, and many more residents in general,” said Maher, noting she once saw two children jump out of the way of an oncoming truck.

Maher recommend a number of safety measures including installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Paradise Road and St. Thomas Line, a reduction in the speed limit, and installation of concrete curbs to separate pedestrians from road traffic.

She argued that as St. Thomas Line is one of the major roads in Paradise, more priority should be given to getting the issue resolved.

Several members of council thanked Maher for the petition and said they would keep the matter in mind heading into budget discussions.

Maher is one of the first residents to attend a meeting in person since the town hall fire back in February 2025. Council has been meeting at another town facility since then, but with limited room, the meetings have not been open to spectators.