Trail city council gave the go ahead for municipal staff to pursue grant funding for the Bear Creek well upgrades.
Staff will apply for the ‘Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program - Rural and Northern Communities’ grant in order to finance just 10 per cent of a total cost estimate of $3.64 million.
“This is viewed to be a high priority project that would be challenging for the city to finance in the absence of receiving grant funding,” said Chief Administrative Officer, David Perehudoff in response to the report.
City staff completed engineering and design specifications for a backup well in 2018.
The plans indicate that the backup well will be built next to the existing well at the Bear Creek aquifer.
The project also includes upgrades to the existing well, which will be completed after the backup well is developed and in service.
Through the infrastructure grant the provincial government covers 50 per cent of the expense, the federal government will cover 40 per cent, and the municipality of Trail, 10 per cent.
The Bear Creek well upgrades project has been identified as a high priority water system project, and is included in the city’s five-year capital plan.
If successful, the city’s commitment will be approximately $364,000, and come from direct capital revenue or water fund reserves.
Snow removal: Council approved the city’s request that the snow and ice control contract be awarded to Kootenay Property Maintenance (KPM).
The company will be responsible for snow and ice removal at city-owned parking lots, lanes and adjoining sidewalks.
Two companies bid on the contract, but KPM came in as the low bid, by a substantial amount.
The term is set for three years.
“In order to provide a consistent level of service, it is important for the city to retain a contractor to supplement the service provided directly by the city,” wrote Perehudoff. “There are sufficient funds allocated annually in the transportation services winter budget that provides funding for the provision of contract services.”
Wheelchair Ramp: A Trail man’s efforts to get a wheelchair access ramp installed on Third Avenue ran into a roadblock.
Norm Gabana approached council in the summer of 2019 and and was denied a request to have a utility pole removed in order to accommodate a wheelchair ramp near his son’s home.
He revisited council last month and at the Oct. 13 regular council meeting, Mr. Gabana presented a proposal where he would dedicate a corner of the private property for the installation of a metal plate for wheelchair access allowing the sidewalk to be diverted around the impeding utility pole.
At the advice of staff, council rejected Gabana’s request citing that the costs were not the city’s responsibility.
The homeowner would have to foot the bill, estimated at about $5,000 for the pole removal, and also would have to upgrade the home’s outdated electrical service before FortisBC relocated the pole.
Mr. Gabana told city staff that he was not willing to incur costs associated with the house electrical service upgrade.