The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is anxious to finish the Irvine Road drain project but cannot infringe on residents’ rights to an appeal hearing, Lord Mayor Betty Disero says.

“Everyone in this process and anyone in this process that’s affected by this has the right to appeal and we can’t take that away,” Disero said in an interview Tuesday.

“Hang on, it’s coming. The town is wanting to get it done and we will as soon as we resolve all the appeals,” she said.

If the appeals are done soon then the work could most likely get underway this year, Disero said.

She said the town's environmental supervisor, Brett Ruck, affirmed the potential timeline with her during a meeting last week after she visited the Irvine Road area to see the flooding.

The town's court of revision was in session on Tuesday with what Disero hoped would be the final appeal in the process.

If that is the case, the town will move on the work as quickly as possible, she said.

“I’m not sure if there’s another appeal been launched, but hopefully they are on the last one today,” she said.

“If they are, they can get the resolution of that appeal and get moving.”

But Disero stressed the town will not infringe upon anyone's right to appeal the process.

“Everyone has the right to appeal and as long as there are appeals that have to be dealt with we can’t complete the work,” Disero said.

But getting the work done and relieving the stress of the Irvine Road community is a main priority, she said.

“In my mind, the sooner the better. I was down there three years ago when people's basements were filled with water and things were really bad.”