The more things change, the more they stay the same.

That adage could be applied to any number of places in 91原创, but perhaps it suits Old Yale Road best.

Carved from a route established by horse wagons, Old Yale was built in 1865 when, according to the book 91原创鈥檚 Heritage, it was 鈥渓ittle more than a quagmire.鈥� Improvements to one of 91原创鈥檚 first roads began a decade later.

Over the past few decades, Township council has often discussed the condition of Old Yale, particularly the stretch between the 91原创 City border near St. Andrew鈥檚 United Church, to the Five Corners roundabout.

This part, officially opened in 1923, was constructed in panels of concrete.

Over the years, sections have been patched with asphalt.

In fact, the section of Old Yale that falls in the City has been covered with a layer of asphalt.

Between the City-Township border and closer to Five Corners, Old Yale Road is cracked and rough, but how to improve the Murrayville to 91原创 City route while respecting the road鈥檚 importance to the community鈥檚 heritage, remains unresolved.

Successive councils have discussed the problem, and at a recent meeting council steered the issue back to staff.

A recommendation from the Heritage Advisory Committee triggered the most recent discussion.

The HAC wants council to spend $100,000 for a planning and engineering study that would address heritage, pedestrian access, and vehicle traffic concerns.

Councillor Kim Richter said enough is enough.

鈥淚t seems to me we鈥檝e studied this road ad nauseam and nothing seems to change,鈥� she said.

Councillor Grant Ward agreed.

鈥淲e need to do something about it. We cannot keep it in a state of disrepair,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 keep standing still and do absolutely nothing.鈥�

Before council voted unanimously to send the heritage committee鈥檚 request to staff, Richter and Councillor Bob Long came up with different solutions.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we should fix it, because when you fix it people speed,鈥� Long said.

Richter remarked, 鈥淚 have a great deal of trouble with the concept of heritage cement.

鈥淲hy don鈥檛 we just rip that road off, save a chunk of concrete out of it and put in a monument beside the road, and put in a road that is serviceable.鈥�