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