City of Powell River councillors have gone through the prioritized 2024 draft five-year capital plan to confirm projects to be carried out in the draft plan.
At the January 25 special council meeting, councillors had 152 capital projects to consider, having the ability to propose putting a halt to them to assist in cost savings for municipal taxpayers.
Mayor Ron Woznow said council would either move that staff be directed to remove items or defer items if there was not a recommendation to take no further action on the item.
Chief financial officer Mallory Denniston said staff worked diligently to prioritize the draft capital plan.
“It’s a five-year financial plan and it includes 152 items, totalling about $63 million over five years,” said Denniston.
Projects were allocated priority status, ranging from high to medium to low priority. According to a report from Denniston, there was $45 million in high priority projects, $10 million in medium priority projects and $7 million was ranked as low priority.
There were high priority projects that are grant funded that council decided should proceed. These included the airport runway paving project, which has grant funding of $7.9 million.
The new fire and emergency services facility to replace the aging Powell River Fire Rescue fire hall on Courtenay Street was deferred until 2025.
Powell River Recreation Complex aquatic centre roof improvements, funded by $6.1 million from reserves, was left in the capital plan. The pavement management plan for the next five years is valued at $5.7 million, including $1.7 million in 2024, and was left in the capital plan.
The recreation complex thermal ice plant heat recovery project, with $1.9 million in grant funding and $523,000 from reserves, will also remain in the capital plan.
Powell River Fire Rescue’s ladder truck is scheduled for replacement in 2026, at a value of $2.3 million, funded from reserves, and remained in the capital plan.
Other projects included recreation complex electrical upgrades and emergency backup system, for $1.2 million from reserves; water main upgrades on Marine Avenue from Alberni Street to Townsite, from reserves, which will be close to $1 million; the resource-recovery centre road, at $881,000 from reserves; sewer main improvements, valued at $826,000 from reserves, to be spread out over five years; the sea walk restoration project, $762,000 from reserves, and the Willingdon Beach campsite washroom, shower and laundry, grant funded for $667,000.
There are two garbage trucks in the capital plan, valued at $585,000 each, to be funded from reserves. Council considered a motion to defer the purchase of one of the vehicles to 2025 but the motion was defeated, so both vehicles remain in the capital plan.
Automated organics waste collection bins also remain in the capital plan. Organics collection in the city is scheduled for spring of this year.
There is a project identified for recreation complex rehearsal room asbestos abatement and floor replacement, for $75,000.
The horseshoe pitch at the recreation complex relocation is in the capital plan at a cost of $40,000. The existing pitch is adjacent to the ammonia ice plant exhaust. Consultation will be held with the horseshoe club to find an appropriate new location.
The mid-level connector between the recreation complex and Brooks Secondary School was left in the capital plan. The connector is intended to be used for active transportation, such as walking and cycling. The $883,000 project includes grant money of $441,000 and an equivalent amount from reserves.
Recreation complex public washroom and arena accessibility has $653,000 allocated, with $424,000 coming from grants and $228,000 from reserves.
Also in the plan is the Maple Avenue and Sycamore Street safe streets project, with $353,000 from grants and $151,000 from reserves.
Timberlane Park track requires refurbishing and there is $450,000 from reserves earmarked for the project in the capital plan.
A crosswalk on Manson Avenue near Larry Gouthro Park was approved, with $107,000 coming from reserves for that project and the crosswalk at Alberni Street and Ontario Avenue.
In the capital plan for 2026 are upgrades to the recreation complex fitness centre and Evergreen Theatre, planned for $6.5 million, with $4.8 million in grant funding being sought, as well as contribution from reserves of $1.7 million.
There were a number of vehicle replacements in the capital plan, as well as replacement of exercise equipment in the recreation complex fitness centre.
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