City of Powell River councillors were provided a status update regarding the city’s 2024 capital projects.
At the September 10 committee of the whole meeting, councillors were presented a staff report, which outlined that city council had approved approximately $39 million in capital costs for 2024, with 105 projects having been listed in the city’s five-year financial plan bylaw. The staff report stated that capital costs are funded through a combination of city reserves and external grants.
Director of infrastructure Tor Birtig provided information on several of the projects being undertaken by the city.
He said 68 per cent of the projects are well underway, 26 per cent of the projects are not started, four per cent are deferred and two per cent cancelled.
The first project Birtig wanted to outline was the street paving program. He said the tender for the project has been issued and awarded and the city is awaiting the paving company to commence work in October.
“Right now, they have moved their plant to the [Sechelt] peninsula and will be tackling our pavement program when they return,” said Birtig.
With the sea walk restoration program, the city is delayed with some staffing issues, according to Birtig. He said the request for proposals is being refined and targeted for the fall of this year, with construction to take place in the winter of this year, ending in the spring of 2025.
Regarding the Maple – Sycamore neighbourhood bikeway, it is well underway now, according to Birtig. He said completion is anticipated this month.
“There may be some issues with the final paving, and as I outlined before, the paving company is currently on the lower peninsula,” said Birtig.
The aquatic centre roof tender is targeted to be released this fall, with completion anticipated in the summer of 2025, according to Birtig.
The washroom and accessibility improvements to the Powell River Recreation Complex tender closed on September 21. Work is anticipated to be completed before the spring of 2025, said Birtig.
There have also been electrical upgrades and an emergency backup system earmarked for the complex. Birtig said a design is being put together with a design-build tender to be released this fall, with construction commencing in the winter of 2024 and being completed in the summer of 2025.
Powell River Public Library siding replacement is being finalized, according to Birtig, with the work anticipated to be completed by this winter.
Another project is the resource-recovery centre water main installation. Birtig said the water main connection was completed a few months ago and the component that remains is the repaving of the road from Alberni Street, past Willingdon Beach, to the resource-recovery centre. He said the city has worked with the provincial ministry of transportation and infrastructure, and instead of paving in a separate project, the city has transferred the paving funding to the ministry. They will complete the entire roadway along Marine Avenue from Alberni Street to the new entrance, according to Birtig.
The airport runway rehabilitation work has been largely completed, said Birtig. The airport reopened on June 8 and the electrical work has also been recently completed. The airport is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with new lighting installed.
Councillor Rob Southcott asked about the Gibsons Beach boat launch and Willingdon Beach Campsite washroom facility.
Birtig said the washroom project has been deferred because of issues with archeological findings.
“We’re having to regroup on that one,” said Birtig. “With respect to the Gibsons Beach boat launch, we haven’t commenced. We are looking at an environmental review of the process. We have been working with Tla’amin Nation on that one.”
Councillor Trina Isakson said a number of projects have not been started this year. She asked if they would be deferred to a future year.
Birtig said the majority are equipment and it is anticipated the majority will be done and completed by the end of the year.
Councillor and committee chair Jim Palm asked about the sea walk. He asked if the archaeological component had been covered off. Birtig said the city has a green light to go ahead, but will have to review when a final design has been created.
Councillor Earl Almeida asked about crosswalk projects on Alberni Street and at Larry Gouthro Park on Manson Avenue. Birtig said the Alberni project has been completed, and regarding the Manson crossing, design work is being undertaken.
Palm alluded to the conclusion in Birtig’s written report to councillors and said he appreciated the statement that much of the city’s infrastructure is approaching or is past the end of the estimated useful life, which results in a large and relatively complex capital plan going forward.
“We have to be prepared for what is coming at us,” said Palm.
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