Friday, July 30, 2010 - Happy Holiday

Good Friday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today!

Short post today, because there is not a lot of new news from this end.  We made it to Friday again and a long weekend to boot. This is one of our mixed up provincial holidays. Some retail is open, some is closed and still others are open limited hours.

The weather looks good for today and right through the long weekend, if I dare look that far ahead. There seems to be a reduced number of construction crew on site today.  They are working mostly between Roy-Al Rentals and Royal City Warehouse hooking up fresh water supply lines to those properties.  The crews have also been cleaning up a lot of loose ends and tidying up in, what I anticipate, is preparation for the big job of storm sewer installation, which should start next week.

A long weekend is also a good time for me to catch up on some loose ends.  With an extra day available, I can clean up (or start) some of the pet projects that seem to get pushed to the back burner.  So, if I am in here on the weekend, I'll be open.  Come on down or phone if you like to  verify that I am in - 519-767-2161 - Plants For All 66 Dawson Road.

We are almost at the end of another month. I don't know if time is going faster because I'm getting older or if I'm getting older because time is going faster.              

Anyway, the weather is excellent. The Friday before a long weekend is often extra quiet in town.  The traffic is light on Dawson Road today and a perfect time to come down, get some business done and even enjoy some lunch or dinner. The businesses of Dawson Road are open and welcome you.

Have a wonderful long weekend.  Enjoy what we have.  Talk to you Tuesday.

Brian

Thursday, July 29, 2010 - Calm before and after the storm

Happy Thursday and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! It looks like we might have dodged  a bullet last night  with that thunderstorm. We were just on the northern edge of it and got very little thunderstorm activity compared to our friends and relatives down Woodstock way.

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Today should be a good weather day with the temperature and humidity supposed to be dropping a little bit. Most of the construction related work yesterday was the connecting of individual property sites to the new freshwater supply. That work will continue today and remember, when it's time to connect to your property water supply your water will be shut off for a very short time.

These two pictures show Dawson Road last evening. The  top picture is facing south from my driveway at Plants For All at 66 Dawson Rd.  The bottom picture is facing north from my driveway. There is very little heavy construction equipment on site as of that moment. I suspect perhaps that this is the calm before the storm when the storm sewer installation gets into full swing. This would be a great time to come down to Dawson Road to tend to business.

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We still have some drivers that believe that the one-way road does not apply to them. Last night just before 10 p.m. I enjoyed watching  a young woman drive her little car southbound on Dawson Road, jockeying back and forth between the transportation lane and construction lane. After getting herself penned into the construction lane down in front of Noels Children's Centre, she went around in circles a couple of times, then backtracked up northbound and then turned southbound again to 'escape' out the transportation lane.  I'm sure that she could have gone around the real detour route twice in the same time she took for this complicated manuever.  Just a side note - if you get your vehicle stuck on a roadway that is closed, don't expect your 'auto club' to pull you out for free.

Last night on my way back to my shop, I saw some activity going on at 45 Dawson Road.  That is the home of Crossfit Guelph, a unique and active fitness centre located on the right hand side of Dawson Road when you come northward off of Willow Road. Checkout their website (click the link on the right sidebar here) and see what is going on.  They help you to develop the right fitness programme for your body and your goals. You will learn that " Weakness is a choice! " They offer generous introductory sessions to see if they are right for you.  Give Michael Fall a shout to find out more.

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

Our friends over at Rona Cashway, at 55 Dawson Road, are offering big savings on outdoor furniture this weekend.  Does that signal the end of summer?  Noooo! Anyway, check out the furniture savings when you come down to Dawson Road for lunch at the QB2 Cafe and Dining at 86 Dawson Road.

We are having  a good reaction to our new artificial trees and plants with the UV Protection. These are quality plants that will keep their rich colours longer in bright areas of your home and even outside.  Linda, at Plants For All at 66 Dawson Road, would be pleased to share the new line of UV Protected artificial trees and plants.

Come on down to Dawson Road - the weather is good and there's a lot going on.

Brian

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - don't get me started!

This time around it's Wednesday and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! Wednesday for many is the best day of the work week because after they start work Wednesday morning, it's downhill to the weekend. I can't say that I disagree with that thinking; but I enjoy everyday at work with the new opportunities to meet a varied  assortment of people. For the rest of you, happy Wednesday.

The construction crew spent a good part of Tuesday working on Dawson Road between Rona Cashway and Mike the Mover. This was the hotspot of the construction day because we had the new storm sewer wanting to go one way and the old freshwater supply pipe being in that way. The work required a lot of moving around, a lot of heavy equipment, and shutting off the water for a brief period time (as had been  previously advised). The changing of the fresh water pipe connections at Speedvale Avenue end also caused a temporary reduction on Speedvale from four lanes to two lanes. That has since been reversed.

Our new dog Tasha joined life on Dawson Road on Tuesday. She had several visitors and enjoyed the attention.

I often tend to lose track of these Monday holidays;  but this is a long weekend coming up. On Monday, August 2, we will be celebrating the Civic holiday. Some people add the Civic holiday to their summer holidays so that they can extend it. For some people, this is their summer holidays. And then for some people, they will be working Monday. Whatever your situation is, please take time for yourself and your family, because you deserve it.

I happened to be in downtown Kitchener Tuesday, and talk about a construction nightmare. Whole blocks of King Street, the main street, are shut down for months during cosmetic road construction. I asked the receptionist of the office to which I was going, how narrow they were going to make the street and she told me that parking will be on the sidewalk. I thought she was being facetious, but when I did some research on the Web last night, that is in fact the plan. Both pedestrian and vehicular traffic is being redirected around these blocks.  I will not go into that project in any more detail because I'm sure the city of Kitchener is not the least bit interested in my opinion. Business owners - please count your blessings that this necessary work is being done while the road in front of your business is being kept open and maintained in better condition than most construction sites in the city.   Construction Crews - please, keep delays and shutoffs to a minimum, keep up the good work and on with the job.

Today's post is starting to sound like a rage or a pep rally and I don't want that. I hope the weather holds today and the crew will get a full day in.

Today would be a good day for you to select one of the businesses on Dawson Road that are listed either in the slideshow in the right sidebar or in the web links in the right sidebar.  Pay them a visit. Get to know them a little bit better. Behind every business-front on Dawson Road there is a personality that would like to meet your personality.

Brian

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - Big Changes Right Before My Eyes

Good Tuesday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! A correction, some work done, some work started, even a group photo. Today is going to be another great weather day for construction and following on yesterday, I think were on a roll. 

The driveway to my shop at Plants For All at 66 Dawson Road is undergoing a complete makeover. The crew worked steadily on that area in the early afternoon grading and shaping and packing and pounding. The open ditch that's been running along the front of the property as long as I can remember is disappearing before my eyes.

Correction: last week, when announcing the birth of Mahelet to Lamos and Koky, owners of the QB 2 Café  and Dining at 86 Dawson Road, I made a mistake in spelling Mahelet's older sister's name.  Btanya, is the older sister to newborn Mahelet. I am sorry for the mistake I made in spelling.

For the last few weeks the construction crew has been working on the installation of the new freshwater supply pipes. The City has now completed their freshwater tests and have approved the supply pipes for hookup. And that is good news.

As well as the installation of the freshwater supply, part of the crew has been working on the storm sewer pipe installation. The very large cement storm sewer pipework that has been installed in front of Rona Cashway at 55 Dawson Road will be extended and installed right up the centre of the road toward Speedvale Avenue.  Throughout this post I have assembled a few pictures of the initial cement pipework installation. Pictures showing crewmembers from Bel-Air Construction were supplied by Charles and Jordan of Pitura Husson. The old freshwater supply pipe is physically in the way of where this heavy cement pipework is going, so for a short time the crew will be jockeying with both the freshwater supply and the storm sewers on Dawson Road  between Rona Cashway and Mike the Mover. This will result in a brief interruption of the water supply to a large number of businesses, that is scheduled for between 2 and 3 p.m. today. 

Eddie and the Bel-Air Crew

After that short patch is made, part of the crew will proceed with storm sewer installation and part of the crew will proceed with the individual property hookups to the new fresh water supply. Businesses will be advised of any anticipated disruption in their water supply when it's time for their property to be connected to the new water supply.

With the installation of the storm sewer pipes, I expect the traffic will experience more diversions than we've usually seen. Please drive slowly and carefully watch for any posted arrows or signs that may direct you around patches of construction.

The weather is very good for construction this week. The weather is very good for those people who are on holidays. The weather is very good for those people who want to shop and visit on Dawson Road today. Take advantage of the good weather and come on down. 

Our new dog Tasha will be visiting at our shop, Plants For All, starting today. Feel free to come in and visit with her.

Brian

Monday, July 26, 2010 - the dog days

Good  Monday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road Today!  I trust everyone had a good weekend, and are looking forward with anticipation to the start of the last week of July. We are in the dog days of summer and in the long haul of construction. The weather for the week ahead looks promising, so let's get a lot done.

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

I announced last week that we had some personal good news that we expected to happen last weekend. Today, I am pleased to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Tasha. Tasha is a 10 year old female Samoyed, and she will be coming to our store at Plants For All, 66 Dawson Road, Tuesdays to Fridays, when the stores open from 12:30 to 6 each day.  We had a Samoyed, Amrock, up until last December.  Many visitors to our shop would stop by just to visit Amrock.  Linda and I invite you to stop in and visit Tasha. Tasha is smaller than Amrock was and she weighs about 65 pounds. Samoyeds are very friendly and easy going dogs and usually look like they're smiling. Tasha was shaved back in June by her previous owner and we expect her hair to fully grow back in before winter.  Tasha comes to us through the Samoyed Rescue Group.

Because of the heavy rains last Friday morning, the Bel-Air Construction crew was not working on Dawson Road on Friday. I noticed that Drexler Construction was on site, for a short time. They are subcontracting to Guelph Hydro.  With the promising weather forecast for this week, I expect Bel-Air Construction will be back on site and working on storm sewers.

At the start of today, the northbound lane is completely open.  Enter Dawson Road from Willow Road and travel north only, treating Dawson as a one-way street. With all of the heavy rain lately, there are a few gravel sections that are a bit rough. But compared to some of the other construction intersections that I have been through lately in this city, Dawson Road is in very good shape. So start the week off right and come on down to Dawson Road today!

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

Monday is my day to be in the shop so stop by and say hello. 

I picked up one of those motivational plaques this past weekend that I bought for myself; but I gave it to one of my sons. It said "Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional."  Take a moment to think about that and let me know if you get it.

Have a great day, and Go with Purpose.

Brian

Friday July 23, 2010 - From out of the dust - comes new life.

Good Friday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! This week seems to have gone by very quickly.  And that's OK.

Of course, by now, you have come to know that this blog is strictly business, dealing only with the facts, no room for distraction from the serious life of road reconstruction. Yawn. Well, I am so very happy to announce that the owners of QB 2 Café and Dining have some very great news to share. Last Sunday, July 18, Lamos, Koky and Bitannia added one more member to their family with the birth of a baby girl. Her name is Mahelet, and both she and mom Koky are doing very well. If you're by the restaurant in the Plaza at 86 Dawson Road, stop in and pass along your best wishes. I know they feel very blessed.


Along those same lines, I have been told now that is okay for me to let you know that another significant figure in the Dawson Road Reconstruction project team is also expecting an addition to their family. Charles Groen is the project On-site Inspector from Pitura Husson. Charles and his wife are expecting their third child early in the new year.  Charles spends much of his days walking back and forth, outside in the heat, the sun, the dust checking holes and pipes in the ground, as another assurance that the job is being done right. If Charles is still walking along Dawson Road when this third child comes along, we'll know the reconstruction project is definitely behind schedule. We'll send Charles home.

How can any of this information be relative to a major reconstruction project? Because, these are real people with real lives moving forward. As are the construction workers, the bus drivers, the postal carriers, the people who pick the garbage up each week, the business owners, the business employees, the pedestrians, the customers and everyone else whose real-life activities bring them down to Dawson Road. With all this disruption brought on by major reconstruction, we can see the benefit of all these real people participating together to get the job done and keep things moving forward.

The bus stop for Guelph Transit bus number 22 is now located in front of Royal City Warehousing, at 75 Dawson Road.  As you can see, the shoulder of the road where the sign is sitting is very narrow. If you are standing waiting for the bus here please watch and be very aware of oncoming traffic. If you are driving in this area of Dawson Road please watch and be very aware of people standing at the bus stop. If you are driving behind the bus on Dawson Road please watch and be very aware that the bus may be stopping at this stop and you will not be able to pass around it. Be careful out there.

Last week I showed you pictures of a new hydro pole installed in front of Mike the Mover and Plants For All, that was very close to the old hydro pole. They had connected the electrical wires to the new pole at that time. This week, they removed the portion of the old pole that had supported the electrical wires and left the remainder of the pole that still supports the wires of the other utilities. Even though this specific work was done by Guelph Hydro crews, I am regularly impressed by the intricate work accomplished using big machines in tight places by all of the construction workers.

Guelph Remastered issued several Guelph Transit update advisories on Thursday. If you're interested in all of the updates go to Guelph.ca and navigate to Guelph Remastered Transit updates. However, I am reproducing the advisory that affects the Edinburgh Road project because our bus number 22 that travels on Dawson Road has a bus stop affected in that area:

"Guelph Transit Route 7 and 22 Service Advisory: July 22 – December 31

Due to construction taking place on Edinburgh Road North, between London Road West and Willow Road, two bus stops will be out of service. At this time, the buses will continue to travel on Edinburgh Road during the construction.

Stops out of service:
The temporary stop for route 7 at Edinburgh Road North at Willow Road will be moved to the north side of  Willow Road on Edinburgh Road North. All other temporary stops on route 7 will remain in service.

The bus stop for route 22 at Edinburgh Rd. N. at Willow Rd. (ID 2208) will be out of service.  Please use the stops located at Edinburgh Road North at Mercer Street or Willow Road at Bagot Street as alternatives."

Please note the effective dates of this change - July 22 - December 31.

We made it to Friday again! Thanks for bearing with me. If you don't have other plans for the weekend, there are businesses here on Dawson Road that are open and would love to see you. Check the web links on the sidebar at the right.  I hope to have some personal good news for you Monday, talk to you then. Go with purpose.

Brian

Thursday, July 22, 2010 - Dawson Road is in Good Shape !

Good Thursday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! I think I should stop passing along what the weather forecast is supposed to be. For the last two days we have been calling for showers and thundershowers and we've ended up with beautiful weather for construction and shopping.

I was pleased to see that I received a comment to yesterday's post from out of country. I was happy for the encouragement. You can check out the comment or better yet, you can add your own comments to the post. Click on comments at the end of the post and you'll be taken to a comment insert page.

The bus stop for Guelph Transit bus number 22 is now positioned in front of Royal City Warehouse. Yesterday, I received a Guelph Remastered - Guelph Transit update. The cover e-mail is notification that a report has been sent to City Council for consideration which will outline the proposed  Guelph Transit system for the next 25 years. I will not reproduce the report here because it is 500 pages long. However, you can get your own digital copy by going to Guelph.ca and navigating to the Guelph Remastered section.

It looks like things are ready to get cooking over on the Edinburgh Road reconstruction project. I drove down Edinburgh Road last evening and a number of construction pylons are in place. For now pylons are placed just north of and just south of the intersection of Edinburgh and Willow Roads. I expect that when that project gets into full swing, we'll see more traffic using our one-way Dawson Road as an alternative route.  Come on down - you know, we'd love to see you.

For many years now, we have had an open ditch in front of our shop, Plants For All at 66 Dawson Road. Yesterday was the beginning of the end of that. The crews will be eliminating the ditch and it will be replaced with storm sewers. When the project is finished, pedestrians will be able to leave the sidewalk and walk directly to the front of our store, without having to go around the ditch and down our driveway.

Over the years we've seen a wide variety of animal life emerging from the ditch and running into the ditch. One late night, a couple of years ago, when leaving my shop I stepped on a muskrat. The little fellow flipped over onto his back, gave a bloodcurdling scream and bolted straight for the ditch. I was too scared to do anything but watch him go. It will be good to see the open ditch going, going and soon to be gone.

The Tuesday, July 20th edition of the Guelph Tribune, on page 2, displays a graphic summary of the construction projects in the city of Guelph to date. The Dawson Road project is listed in the 25 to 49% complete grouping. A few days ago we posted that we had just passed the halfway mark. Check out that issue of the Guelph Tribune to see how we compare with the other city projects.

That seems like a lot of stuff to talk about  for one day; but there's a lot more coming, so stay tuned. Don't forget to check out next Monday's Post, I hope to announce a personal surprise that  is scheduled to happen Saturday.

Whatever the weather is going to be today, getting around on Dawson Road is in really good shape. So,  please make a special effort to come down to Dawson Road Today to shop, to eat, to get informed, to visit and/or to get fit. Check the Web links in the right sidebar to find out where to do what. Talk to you Friday.

Brian

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - Please Remember

Good Wednesday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road Today! We didn't get the forecasted rain that we were expecting for Tuesday. 

This allowed the construction crews to tidy up a lot of the projects that made Monday such a busy construction day. As of early this morning the situation on Dawson Road looks very good for traveling. The paved northbound lane is completely open and smooth.

Based on how tidy things are and on the projected workload, I expect the water mains are done and awaiting testing from the City. The crews will likely start work on the big storm sewer pipes next. 

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

We were advised by the City last week that Woodlawn Road is now completely resurfaced and open. While out and about last night, I purposely made a point of driving on that stretch of the road; and it was a real treat. It seemed a very long time that not a whole lot was happening on Woodlawn. That project disrupted traffic significantly and we know it sent the overload rush-hour traffic over to Speedvale Avenue. But now it is done and it's great! I suggest you take the opportunity to drive that section of road and just appreciate the improvement.  It will take some of the load back off of Speedvale Avenue, as well as give us a preview of how much better things will look when our Dawson Road construction job is finished.

The rainy weather that had been forecast for Tuesday, and didn't happen, looks as though it may make an appearance today.  We'll have to see how that affects the construction crew, they know best. So, to start the day off traveling looks good on Dawson Road. Please remember -

• treat Dawson Road as a one-way street, entering from Willow Road and traveling on the paved northbound lane only
• Guelph Transit bus number 22 is operating on Dawson Road with the bus stop up near Guelph Medical Place
• if you are walking on Dawson Road, be very wary of where the construction equipment is. They are a lot bigger than you and may not see you if you are not walking in the designated lane way
• if  you  are  driving  southbound  - don't.
• drive slowly, know the location of your destination (check the Web links in the right sidebar), smile and wave to a construction worker as you pass by and at the very least he'll wonder what you're up to.

 dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

I have a personal surprise that is planned to happen this Saturday that will make many of our Plants For All customers pleased.  I know that I am looking forward to it. If it happens, I'll tell you all about it Monday.

It's Wednesday and a good day for you to be on Dawson Road Today!  Go with purpose.

Brian

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - An Atmosphere of Excitement

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today! Dawson Road was filled with an air of excitement Monday, and I quite enjoyed it.

Before I opened my shop at Plants For All, I had to attend to some business at Meridian Credit Union, at the corner of Dawson and Speedvale. In the short distance from my shop at 66 Dawson Rd to Meridian, I encountered no less than six different construction projects underway. A crew from Guelph Hydro was on site working on a new pole installed in front of 86 Dawson Rd. Bel Air Construction made up the rest of the crews working on different projects. Each crew had their own job to do and on one hand seemed independent of the others. On the other hand, they were a well-orchestrated line of production.

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

Sunday night's thunderstorms with the accompanying heavy rains didn't seem to slow down construction work on Monday.  So the weather was good yesterday, the construction crews were buzzing and it's been a very long time since I've seen such heavy traffic on Dawson Road. I stood outside my shop several times to gauge the traffic flow and the traffic mix. In addition to the usual industrial traffic, I was pleased to see at least as many, if not more, regular cars. Especially in the early afternoon, the traffic flow was consistently good. All of us business owners who have been here on Dawson Road for any length of time, have experienced far too many 'traffic-quiet' summer afternoons here.  Of course, we would rather have it busy. Last week, I did a photo summary of the Bel Air Construction heavy equipment that was on site on that particular day. The huge vacuum truck, shown here, was not on site that day; but it was here yesterday buzzing away most of the day on the access way between Brush Cuts and Rona Cashway. This also added to the feeling that "something" was happening.

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I also noticed more pedestrians on Dawson Road Today.  Sometime pedestrians would wait for construction equipment to pass and sometimes construction equipment would wait for pedestrians to pass.  They all seemed to get to wherever they were going without a lot of fuss or bother. One dear lady got herself, and her car, turned around in a complete 360 degree circle in the access way to our shop.  She didn't panic, she took it slow and she got going the right way.

The Guelph Transit bus stop has been relocated again.  It is now in front of Royal City Warehousing, about 50 feet south of where it was at the Guelph Medical Place access way.

I had 3 young ladies come into my shop looking for the 'computer guy' that used to be in our building. I sent them happily on their way to see my good friend Bo at Hardsoft Computer in the plaza at 86 Dawson Road. They'll get a good deal and good service there. 

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

The short term weather looks like it is going to be wet. We'll see how that plays out for the construction. I know one crew was late working yesterday.  They were still working in the access way between Brush Cuts and Rona Cashway after 7:30, when I left my shop.  They sure put in a long day. 

One customer in my shop suggested that I should run for Mayor. I don't know where that came from; but Mayor Farbridge has nothing to worry about from this quarter.  Just a little fun, I suppose.

So, there is lots of activity going on down here on Dawson Road. Customers are successfully negotiating their way through the construction traffic to 'take care of business'. You can, too! Come on down, we'd love to see you on Dawson Road Today!

Brian

Monday, July 19, 2010 - Unsettled Weather Week Ahead

Good Monday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today!

It hardly seems lately, that we get two days in a row without some kind of major thunderstorm. We had a brief one late last night and could expect more showers today. The weather of course will play a part in whether or not the crews will be able to work. 

When you come onto Dawson Road today you'll be coming northbound from Willow Road as usual. The crew is working in the northbound lane between Brush Cuts pet grooming and Plants For All at 66 Dawson Road.  So you will be making a slight jog around the hole in the paved section on to a gravel bypass, right in front of my shop - Plants For All.  The OPEN sign will be out at 12:30 and Monday is my day to be in the shop, so if your coming by, drop in and say 'hello'

Weather permitting the Bel Air construction crew will be starting work on the new storm sewers.  Water main testing should take place this week so the contractor  can complete final service connections next week.

As per the city's direction, construction on the Edinburgh Road reconstruction project should start this week. As of very early this morning, I saw no sign of that yet. When it comes -we'll know it.

On a personal note, Linda and I stopped into the QB2 Café and Dining at 86 Dawson Rd on Saturday afternoon at about 1:30 for breakfast. I know it was the afternoon but I wanted to try their breakfast.  This time I had their Fowl (pronounced fool). I was pleased again.

You can always find something new on Dawson Road. As I have often said, when the weather is wet, traffic is light on Dawson Road. Pick a business from the slideshow or the Web links in the right panel and make it a project to come and visit them this week on Dawson Road.

Brian

Friday, July 16, 2010 - Lots of Good News

Good Friday morning and we have lots of Good News for you on Dawson Road Today! Because everybody can use some Good News!

Checking out the number of days that were originally scheduled for the entire Dawson road reconstruction project I saw that it totaled 163 days. The city sign that I show every day at the end of this blog indicates the project would start April 21 and run until September 30. As of last Saturday, July 10 we have reached the halfway point. From my nonprofessional observation, I think that we are on schedule or very close to it, based on the work completed. We're on the downhill side of this project people,  and that's a good place to be! Good News!

I received a Guelph Remastered update on the Woodlawn Road resurfacing project.  The paving and line painting are complete and Woodlawn Road between the Hanlon and Nicklin Drive is now open. Good News! This part of Woodlawn Road is at the far north end of Dawson Road.

Last night's thunderstorm brought with it a driving rain, even if only for a relatively short period. Some of the gravel patches across the paved northbound lane will have experienced some washout. Seeing several vehicles, late last night, approach the first one in front of Plants For All at 66 Dawson Rd at too-fast  a speed, the resultant dip and big splash quickly slowed them down in anticipation of the next one. Drive slowly and watch for these, especially until the crews are able to get them topped up.

The weather for today should be good for construction with no rain expected.

Guelph Hydro was on site again yesterday installing new hydro poles. This picture shows a new pole installed about 10 feet north of the old pole, which was right beside a driveway into Mike the Mover at 62 Dawson Rd. When they remove the old pole later, that will create more room that the big Mike the Mover trucks need coming into that driveway.  Good News! This picture shows the new poll already supporting some of the hydro lines while still connected to the old pole. More work to be done yet by Hydro.

Looking closely at the picture you'll  identify that there are wires suspended, other than just the hydroelectric wires. These telephone and cable wires are not yet connected to the new pole, so it must have taken quite a bit of maneuvering to get that giant pole up into position.

I was back to my shop a little early yesterday, at about 4:30, and took the opportunity to watch traffic flow on Dawson Road. I am pleased to report that traffic flow was strong and moving very well. More vehicles, including a nice mix of passenger cars, were on Dawson Road today than we have been seeing lately. So kudos to the citizens for getting down here to Dawson Road and checking things out. Good News! Kudos also to Bel Air Construction for their excellent effort in keeping Dawson Road open. Good News!

Here is a detailed update on the actual reconstruction work status from Charles Groen, on-site inspector, Pitura Husson :

"At the end of Thursday the contractor will have completed all of the water services on the west side of the road (except for the Anna Marie School of Dance) and 6 water services on the east side of the road.

Thursday was busy because we were completing the water service to the Guelph Medical Place.  The service is in the main entrance, which had to be fully closed at times in order to complete the work.  The contractor worked together with property management to make sure that people were still able to get in and out of the Medical Centre.

We still have 5 water services to complete on the east side of the road and 1 on the west side of the road.  The contractor will be attempting to complete the remainder of the water services for early next week.  The contractor will have half a crew on Saturday to help with that goal.

After the water services are complete we will get the watermain swabbed, pressure tested, and chlorinated next week so that we can complete the final service connections in the week of July 26.

While waiting on the watermain testing (which could take about 3 days) the contractor will be starting some the storm sewer.

That is what is coming up here on Dawson Road."

Once again my thanks to Charles for that detailed information to keep the businesses and visitors to Dawson Road up to date with factual  information. Good News!

And it's Friday. Good News!

Don't forget the PT lumber sale at Rona Cashway at 55 Dawson Road, this Saturday and Sunday - save 15%.

Keep up the good work everyone - crews keep working and  shoppers keep  shopping here on Dawson Road Today.

Talk to you Monday.

Brian 

Thursday, July 15, 2010 - Work Continues.

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today!

Halfway through the month, I have a short post today. I have no new factual details of what's going on.

Most of the work on Wednesday was in the area on the north end of Dawson Road between Roy-Al Rentals and Meridian Credit Union. As well as the construction work being done by the Bel-Air crew, Guelph Hydro was on site and installed a new hydro pole in front of the Plaza at 86 Dawson Rd. Another new hydro pole lays nearby on the ground.

The weather is going to remain hot today with humidity being high again. No rain is being forecast for the daytime, so construction should be able to continue. 

Speaking of hot, Plants For All at 66 Dawson Rd has brought in several new artificial trees and bushes that are resistant to ultraviolet rays. This makes them particularly suitable for outdoors and they will retain their colour. Other artificials will colour fade quickly with exposure to the sun. Drop-in and let Linda show you the benefits of these realistic looking plants.

Brian

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - Always something GOOD !

Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today!

Once again yesterday, most of the construction activity was with a small crew working in front of the Rona Cashway  store. I assume the crew had issues with their hookup; because it took longer than anticipated.  Incidentally, Rona Cashway is having a 15% OFF sale on PT lumber this weekend, July 17 & 18th.  So, if you need it, Dawson Road is the place to get it.

Anyway, it appears the hookup is complete, the hole is filled in and the northbound transportation lane is completely open, once again.  

Just to illustrate that there is usually something positive that can come out of anything, I snapped pictures of this robin.  He and a companion robin were having an easy time getting their supper last evening in the freshly replaced dirt in front of Rona Cashway. Eat up boys!

The weather for today should be ideal for construction - no rain for today and the temperature should be down a little.

The bus stop sign is back in place at The Guelph Medical Place entrance and I saw Guelph Transit Bus 22, a few times last evening.

Guelph Remastered issued an update on the status of the Edinburgh Road reconstruction project.  It is now scheduled to start the week of July 19 (next week).  It sounds as though they will have 2 lanes (1 each way) open for the complete project, with only temporary closures as necessary.  That project is expected to take 5 months.  I will only comment on this blog about other Guelph construction projects or Transit updates that affect, or are close to, Dawson Road.  Remember, you can subscribe to receive all City of Guelph updates by going to remastered@guelph.ca 

• enter Dawson Road from Willow Road and travel northbound only
• drive slowly to reduce bumps in the road and to see your turning point
• pedestrians use the walkways as signed between Guelph Medical Place and Meridian Credit Union
• come visit the shops, restaurant and businesses on Dawson Road today!

Have a great day!

Brian

 

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - Pretty Quiet Day

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today!

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day on Dawson Road, both from a construction standpoint and general traffic. No doubt, the weather played a big part in both. There was a small staff of Bel Air Construction crew working in front of Anna Marie Oliver School of Dance at 58 Dawson Rd. The crew also did some clean up of construction debris in front of Plants For All and I expect that was in preparation for the upcoming storm sewer installations.

As you might expect the the crew, at times, was working in mud. By the time I had arrived at the shop the crews had already filled in the part of the cut-out across the pavement that had been washed out by the heavy rains on Sunday. The small crew working on Dawson Road yesterday stopped work shortly after three Monday afternoon.

Shortly after six on Monday afternoon some Bel Air Construction dump trucks returned to Dawson Road. I expect they were used on some other construction area around the city today.

Who determines when a rain day is a non-work day? "Normally if it is raining in the morning and the day calls for more rain the crew will be sent home. The crew would prefer to work as they do not get paid when they are not at work.

The site super for Bel-Air would make the call for the crew but it would be the site inspector who will determine if the day will be considered a working day (the contractor  has so many working days to complete the project)."

It would appear as though the Dawson Road  bus 22 is back in service. At about 7 p.m. Monday, I noticed  a bus coming northbound on Dawson Road. I noticed a few other buses throughout the evening after that. I did not receive a transit update from the city regarding route number 22, so I don't know if it's running regularly or just when the construction crews are gone. Stay tuned.

While I know we desperately need the rain for many good reasons, the damaging kind is helpful to no one. Let's hope that things can get back to normal today. The northbound lane is completely open and traveling on Dawson Road is pretty easy right now. 

With the ground still being  wet, there is no dust. Temperatures  are lower than last week's searing heat. It really is a pretty good time for you to come shopping  on Dawson Road. So if you're looking for a good dinner, need computer  ware, a new mattress, professional physiotherapy or advice, a used car, commercial or residential real estate information, a new tropical plant, professional dog grooming or to get your body in better shape - this could be a very good day for you to be on Dawson  Road! Check out the web links at the right and then come on down.

Brian

Monday, July 12, 2010 - keep an eye to the sky !

Good Monday morning and welcome back to Dawson Road today!

Weekend weather was good except for that brief thunderstorm downpour late yesterday afternoon. Today's weather looks a little bit iffy, ranging from sun to cloud to possible thunderstorms with rain, so we'll see what the crews are able to get done. Last Friday morning's heavy rains were likely the reason why the Bel Air construction crew didn't work on Friday. Perhaps it is just as well, because the Guelph Hydro/Drexler Construction crew were working Friday afternoon on those three electrical connections from the west side of Dawson Road cutting across to the east side of Dawson Road. A word of caution here - where this crew cut across the pavement in front of Plants For All at 66 Dawson Rd, there is significant drop in the portion they filled in. This is likely because of those heavy thunderstorm downpours late Sunday afternoon. Please exercise extra caution until the crews can get it filled in.

As mentioned Drexler Construction was on site Friday afternoon, and they were scheduled to work Saturday, and their equipment is on site as of this morning in front of  Orbis Property Management at 76 Dawson Rd. Hopefully they will be able to finish up the three Hydro connections today.

I noticed that the bus stop has been repositioned on the shoulder of the northbound lane at the access entrance to Guelph Medical Place. That is good news; however Guelph Transit issued the following change Saturday afternoon -

"Guelph Transit Route 22 Temporary Detour: July 9 until 7 p.m

Posted: 09 Jul 2010 12:18 PM PDT

Guelph Transit Route 22 Temporary Detour: July 9 until 7 p.m.

Due to the road conditions on Dawson Road, route 22 Conestoga will be temporarily detoured to Edinburgh Road North.  All stops on Dawson Road will be out of service.  Temporary stops are located at Edinburgh Road North and Willow Road, and at Speedvale Avenue West in front of the Hammond Manufacturing Plant. The detour may continue on July 12."

I expect this decision was made because of the extra crew from  Drexler Construction being on-site. It must be terribly confusing and frustrating for transit customers with all the changes.

It looks like we may be at the mercy of the weather for the next few days as to how much and what type of construction work is done. Remember I've often said that when it's raining, there's less construction activity on Dawson Road and it's a good time to come on down.

In Friday's post I mentioned that my wife Linda was celebrating her birthday and I surprised her with  a family birthday dinner at the QB 2 Café &Dining at 86 Dawson Rd on Saturday. They arranged a wonderful birthday celebration for 11 of us. I went in about a month ago and prearranged the get-together, and with Koky's help we set the menu based on their menu dishes and the mix of family members.  This was a new experience for everyone except Linda and I and we were pleased how well everybody got involved with this unique dining experience. The staff at the restaurant could not have done any more for us, they were set up and ready and graciously explained the food and the customs to everyone. Pictured here are the owners and staff, Lamos, Betty and Koky.  Everyone had lots to eat with some extras to take home and the total price was easily affordable. If you would like to know more about all they did for us feel free to call Linda or I at Plants For All at 519-767-2161.

It's a start of a new week with lots of construction work to be done and no doubt the weather is going to play a role in what gets done. So make your plans and come along rain or shine, it's always good to see you on Dawson Road.

Brian

Friday, July 9, 2010 - Why Does This Date Seem Familiar ???

Good Friday morning and welcome to Dawson Road Today! How much equipment does it take to do all the work that we've been talking about the last couple of months? Throughout this post you'll see photos of the contractors self powered equipment that was on site just last night.

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

Good News! The city of Guelph had decided to remove bus service from this stretch of Dawson Road until after completion of the project scheduled for September 30, as reported here. (That's not the good news part)  However, the city has received enough complaints about this decision to put the bus back on Dawson Road. I saw a bus on Dawson Road last night between 4:30 and 5 p.m. As of late last night, the bus stop sign had not been replaced; but I think that will happen soon. Good news indeed - Dawson Road is open for your business.

Yesterday,"the contractor completed about 4 water services on the southwest side of the road (from Mike the Movers up to the Roy-Al Rentals).  The mainline should be able to complete the remainder of the 250mm diameter watermain to
the intersection with Shelldale Crescent."

Today, "the contractor will likely have both crews working on water services.  We also have one sanitary service to Rona that could not be completed sooner due to the broken existing watermain that was fixed by the City on Tuesday evening."

"At this point it looks like just the water
services on the northeast side of the road remain.  Next week we will be
testing the watermain, which will likely take three days, and then
completing the final connection to all the services at property line (the existing water boxes and water services will be removed once they have been
switched over to the new services)." My thanks to Charles Groen, on site Inspector with Pitura Husson Limited for answering my questions,so that I may give you news you can use.

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

No groundhog pictures yet.

Bel-Air Construction of Cambridge is the main contractor doing the work on the Dawson Road reconstruction. All of the equipment shown is used by them. There was one other  power shovel on-site that belongs to Drexler Construction of Rockwood. "Drexler is Guelph Hydro's contractor and Guelph Hydro needs to relocate three hydro crossings on Dawson Road which will be in our way when we construct the storm sewer (which is planned to start in about one and half weeks).  They are planning on having three crews on site completing all the crossings Friday, Saturday, and possibly Monday.  We will be sharing the site with Drexler on Friday and Monday likely."  This is the continuation of the work that Hydro had started April 21 and then abandoned.

In addition to the pictures shown, Bel-Air has several accessories to this equipment to expand the flexibility of the equipment. Also from time to time there will be specialty vehicles on site depending on the job required. That's a lot of equipment and a lot of news.

If the work goes as outlined above, this stretch of Dawson Road will become congested sometimes over the next few days. When you're traveling on Dawson Road, whether during the day or at night after construction is stopped, please drive slowly and cautiously. 

dawsonroadtoday.blogspot.com

July 9 is a familiar date to me, or at least it better be. Today is the birthday of the love of my life, Linda. A couple of our customers/friends have already passed along their birthday greetings and Linda was naturally pleased. She doesn't know I'm suggesting this; but if you get a minute call her at 519-767-2161 or stop in to see her at Plants For All at 66 Dawson Road. Linda will be in the shop 12:30 to 6pm. Wish her a happy birthday, I'll be glad you did.

It's been a long hot week and there were a few minor construction glitches to add to the aggravation. Kudos to the Bel-Air Construction team. However, the weekend is here and yours to enjoy. You deserve it - talk to you Monday.

Brian