With so many big projects already underway in Trail, politicians only had a few details to clear up this week at the governance meeting and later during Monday night council.
First up, was talk about the pedestrian bridge. The crossing is nearing completion, but the street entrances/exits will only have rudimentary finishes, or Phase One, done this year.
Council agreed to pursue a BikeBC grant for the next more detailed phase of work on the Columbia River Skywalk approaches. Project costs are estimated at $515,000 and include decorative sidewalks, lighting and site furnishings as well as trees, perennials and irrigation. A soft launch with ribbon-cutting is slated for mid-December. However, council’s goal is to have the approaches closer to completion (Phase 2) in the spring and a grand Skywalk opening in May during Silver City Days.
BikeBC assists local governments by funding up to 50 per cent of eligible cost share capital works. This second leg of work is eligible for $385,000 under the grant criteria which excludes landscape greenery.
Rendering of Skywalk approach
“The advancement of this project is consistent with council’s previous direction to phase the bridge approach project, with Phase II previously endorsed as a high priority for funding in 2017,” noted Chief Administrative Officer David Perehudoff.
“Further, the city met with the Minister of Transportation and ministry staff at the UBCM convention and were encouraged to submit an application. Staff subsequently discussed the matter with ministry staff in followup to the aforementioned meeting and believe that the application will receive appropriate consideration for funding in 2017.”
From bridge to bylaws, council officially made it legal to keep the insect, Apis mellifera, otherwise known as honey bees, in the City of Trail.
The panel unanimously agreed to remove honey bees from prohibition under its Animal Control Bylaw and adopt a new Beekeeping Bylaw, which regulates the practice in city limits.
Some of those regulations include colony limits, two beehives are allowable on property that is 929 square metres or less, and four beehives are allowable on parcels greater than 929 square metres. Additionally, all beehives must be located in the rear yard and those properties must be located in the R1, R2, R3 or A1 zone area (not commercial).
Beekeepers rejoice!
Coun. Carol Dobie first brought the beekeeping matter to the table earlier this year, which was followed up with a number of apiculture advocates visiting council chambers in July.
“I’m thrilled with the decision … the bigger picture in all of this, and mostly what I am thinking of with my role in Communities in Bloom and incrEDIBLE trail, is people are not realizing how much more we have to become agriculturally sustainable with producing our own food,” said Dobie. “We can produce good food in larger quantities when we have lots of bees - that’s world wide, not something that’s just going to be happening in Trail,” she added. “So I see Trail having the opportunity to move forward in becoming more agriculturally sustainable in planting food, and we need bees for that to happen.”
The next bylaw adoption concerned delinquent property taxes - council extended the redemption period for those properties from Sept. 26 this year to Sept. 25, 2017.
Only one property (lot) was included, which is described as sold for unpaid property taxes at the 2015 Property Tax Sale, the city being declared the purchaser.
Finally, with so much construction going on downtown, Coun. Robert Cacchioni brought up another big project that’s out of most sight lines - the new Airport Terminal Building, and it’s going to include blue.
Rendering of TRA's new terminal building
Work is slated to begin in the spring, and the colour selection building accents are blue, Cacchioni confirmed.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary building application is complete, plans include removing the existing kitchen and replacing it with dispensing machines.
“The project is moving ahead well and the design looks very exciting,” he added.
In September, Trail council opted for a pre-engineered structure and concrete slab as the most cost effective and timely way to proceed with the new terminal.
Pacific Apex, a Kelowna-based company, was awarded the contract to deliver and install a steel pre-fab building for $361,000 plus $123,000 for a respective concrete slab and foundations.
Time is of the essence to mostly complete the project because the city has just over one year to use the $1.18 million grant Trail received through the BC Air Access Program. The total project is $3 million, but grant money must be used specifically for new terminal construction.