Removing Hydro towers from Burlington Beach still on the table, mayor says
Published June 7, 2023 at 10:34 am
Removing the Hydro towers along Burlington Beach is still very much on the table, but it’s going to take some time, money and cooperation to get it done, says the mayor.
In an interview with Khaled Iwamura of inhalton.com, Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said removing the lines from the waterfront is the long-term goal of the City, Halton Region and the public utilities, but because of the different agencies involved the process will take some time.
‘The challenge is we don’t own the Hydro poles, those belong to Hydro One,” said the mayor. “We have been working with Hydro One on a feasibility study to bury the wires, which is very expensive, but that would be our preferred option, or we could relocate them.”
Hydro One is a provincial electricity operator and is separate from local utilities such as Burlington Hydro
The mayor said that burying the lines and wires would protect them from damage such as that caused by wind and other weather events, but she reiterated that the cost to do so is high.
Meed Ward also pointed out the beach area is part of Halton Region so any decisions will be made at the level rather than through Burlington City council.
The mayor expects to get an updated report on the issue later this year about the overall vision for the waterfront and that may include plans for the Hydro lines.
Talks about removing the towers have been ongoing since 2015 with cost estimates of burying the lines pegged at $12 million back then.
The towers and lines have been on the beach since 1909.
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