No paving, no problem hopes CBRM

A councillor in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality says his constituents have been understanding about the lack of paving this summer.

Regional council voted earlier this year to eliminate paving from the budget and put that money towards other uses.

Council decided to throw its support behind Mayor Cecil Clarke's effort to persuade Ottawa and the province to share in a five-year, $300-million capital plan.

That meant municipal work crews could only do patch work filling in pot holes.

Darren Bruckschwaiger, a councillor for the Dominion area, said he, and people in his district, have had to be patient. But it hasn't been easy.

"I was notified by engineering department that I had 37 real bad roads within the district. We had to bite the bullet. You know, it was coming. The mayor came forward with a plan we looked at. And we're hoping for some positive results there, and I think if that happens next year we should be able to do a whole lot more work around," he said.

Bruckschwaiger said he's satisfied that work crews did the best they could patching the worst roads in his district.

CAO Marie Walsh said crews managed to stretch their budget in order to patch numerous roads.

Walsh said paving can only happen in extreme circumstances.

"There is money left in the patching budget but as far as paving goes that will only be as and when needed and only on an emergency basis," said Walsh.

Money for paving comes from the municipality's operating budget since there are no funds for it in the capital budget.