A new barrier wall for St. Albert Trail. Potential repairs to the seasonally leaky St. Albert Place waterfall. Crack sealing, sports field rehabilitations and bus pads.
These items are all part of the city’s draft 10-year, “repair, maintain, replace” municipal capital plan.
Council’s standing committee of the whole were ready with lots of questions for staff after getting the first peek at the 2017-2026 plan.
The “repair, maintain, replace” capital plan helps ensure the city’s current municipal assets are up to standard. While council addresses the repair and maintenance budget in the spring, final approval won’t come until the 2017 budget is signed off later this year.
Any “growth” projects – projects triggered by new population – will be dealt with in a separate 10-year growth municipal capital plan at the same time as the operating budget in the late fall.
The proposed 10-year plan would cost $267 million. The proposed cost in 2017 is $21.9 million for about 36 projects.
The $21.9 million is a $2.35 million bump up from the forecasted 2017 budget that was included as part of the 2016 budget planning process.
More concise cost estimates, the weak Canadian dollar, new information, a review of lifecycle and replacement plans and some new possible projects helped create the variance.
The vast majority of the $21.9 million would go towards roadwork and other road-related projects, estimated to cost about $15.2 million.
The repair, maintain and replace capital plan as proposed would leave about $8.4 million for any growth municipal capital projects in 2017.
Council members have until later in April to submit amendments to the 10-year capital plan, which will be debated by the standing committee of the whole at its May meeting.
Council members had questions on everything from the plans to study and replace the barrier wall along the east side of St. Albert Trail to the benefits of a possible green roof that could be incorporated as part of a proposed rehabilitation of the Lacombe Park Lake building and plaza area.
Mayor Nolan Crouse was concerned about the impact on residents who have beautified the community by putting what he called “green infrastructure” up against the barrier walls, should the city proceed with replacement.
City staff could be looking at repairing the St. Albert Place waterfall. The project charter provided to council notes that staff are also looking at other options, like directing the leakage into “aesthetically pleasing, brand compatible elements such as vines, leaves and fabrics.”
Fire Station No. 1 could finally see reconstruction, with design money slated for 2017. The fire station does not have vehicle bays high enough to accommodate the aerial unit, but that location is considered the most appropriate for the unit.
After council members were done with their questions, the mayor and Coun. Sheena Hughes both praised the work put into preparing the report.
