Pelham wins Public Works Project of the Year for Sulphur Springs Road

Good things come in small packages and in the case of Pelham, that small package was a two-kilometre stretch of tricky roadwork.

Last week, Pelham was awarded their first ever Public Works Project of the Year in the Small Municipalities Category from the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA). Pelham was the only municipality in Niagara to receive recognition this year.

Along with Duffin Contracting, the award was presented to Pelham for the Sulphur Springs Road Rehabilitation Design/Build Project during the OPWA awards ceremony held in Mississauga on May 17.

That two-kilometre stretch of Sulphur Springs Road was in such bad shape and posed such a danger to traffic that the town closed it in February 2016 and didn’t reopen it until last fall.

So why did it take more than five years to repair two kilometres of road? That’s where it gets tricky.

It could only be rebuilt using environmentally sustainable products with a focus on the health and sensitivity of the environment and the adjacent 12 Mile Creek. The creek is important as it is the last remaining cold-water stream in Niagara and home to endangered species, such as the Brook Trout.

That’s where Niagara-based Duffin Contracting stepped in, using the design/build project delivery model to protect the immediate environment around the tiny stretch of road.

“The Sulphur Springs project has been a critical and environmentally sensitive undertaking for the Town,” said Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin.

“Receiving recognition for the project is significant and speaks to the dedication of those who worked behind the scenes to deliver a high-quality solution.”

In the end, the restrictions surrounding the road’s rehabilitation brought in a large number of stakeholders: Pelham, Duffin Contracting, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, the Niagara Escarpment Commission, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and environmental interest groups such as Trout Unlimited Canada Niagara Chapter.