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SEE OUR AD ON BACK PAGE OF THIS ISSUE ® Chronicle.WATERLOO $1.00 CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA Your local newspaper has a fresh, new look this week as Metroland Media embarks on a redesign for its community papers across the province. The move helps identify our newspapers and the media family it belongs to, while emphasizing our com- mitment to our readers and our community. Our look may have changed but you'll still find the same award-winning content that makes Metroland Media proud to serve your community. THURSDAY JANUARY 5, 2017 Cultural institutions give a status report to local councils / Page 15 ARTS FOCUS Ctrl V partners with movie theatres to share VR experience / Page 13 BUSINESS Building a better east-west link Council approves changes to Lexington and Columbia Continued on page 7 By Samantha Beattie Chronicle Staff Lexington Road through to Columbia Street will get a makeover in the coming years, as the city tries to make Waterloo's busy east-west corridor safer and less con- gested. Next summer, a 1.3-kilometre cycling and walking route will be built on Lexington Road (continued onto Columbia Street) between Davenport Road and Weber Street over Highway 85. A multi-use trail on the north side of Lexington Road will connect it to the Forwell Trail through Holbeach Crescent and Forwell Creek Road. The bridge crossing Highway 85 will become a key route because it is the only one in the city without a highway entrance and exit. "(Lexington Road) provides an incredible opportunity for the east and west sides to connect over a highway that is par- ticularly challenging not just for cyclists, but also for pedestri- ans," said Coun. Diane Freeman at a council meeting Dec. 12. Coun. Mark Whaley was also supportive of staff's plan. "Highway 85, in my mind, has been the greatest impedi- ment to growing our cycling culture here," he said. "Four of the five bridges over the expressway in Waterloo have on and off ramps. Traffic is zooming on and zooming off, making cycling anywhere near these areas scary and dangerous." The city is planning on removing a 300-metre length of one of the two westbound traffic lanes across the bridge to make room for a multi-use trail. New bike-route signs will be installed on Holbeach Crescent and Forwell Creek Road to Weber Street. Marsland Drive and Davenport Road will be resurfaced. Left-turns lanes and pedestrian islands will be added to some intersections along Lexington. The project is expected to cost $624,000 and will be com- pleted this summer. "The expressway is one of our greatest assets, but it divides our city like a river would 150 years ago," said Mayor Dave Jaworsky. SaManTha BeaTTie phOTO With a little help from my friends C.J. McGlynn, 3, learns to skate with the help of his mom Chrissy and sister Shelby. The family joined dozens of others at uptown's public square ice rink on Monday as Waterloo took advan- tage of the quiet, construction-free streets. SELL-O FF CONTIN UES... MASSIV E OPEN 7 DAYS l 30 Benjamin Rd., Waterloo (across from St. Jacobs Outlet Mall) 519-746-0060 l FLYER SPECIALS www.furniturehouse.ca sale eXTeNDeD BOXINGWeeK OURBesT OFTHeYeaR DON'T MIss OUT ON THe saVINGs!! asK Us HOW 50%UpTO off