St. Albert city council has approved spending an additional $1.3 million at Heritage Park in 2017.
Council members approved Coun. Wes Brodhead’s motion to move the money to 2017 plan from the 2018 capital plan. The decision came during budget motions debate on Nov. 24.
Cultural services director Kelly Jerrott requested the money be spent earlier to allow for servicing to occur before landscaping, so to avoid digging up work already done. The initial plan, made in 2009, called for servicing in 2018 and landscaping in 2017.
Jerrott told council delaying all of the work until 2018 would also mean delaying publicly opening the Hogan and Cunningham houses. The city has already paid to restore and put on foundations at the Heritage Park site along Meadowview Drive.
Brodhead said the entire Heritage Park project would be a “jewel” when completed and would attract tourists to St. Albert. The site included the already completed grain elevators and a French Canadian farm component.
“This motion is about continuing the program, moving some dollars from 2018 to 2017 to allow the work to be done in a way that makes the most sense,” he said.
But councillors Bob Russell, Sheena Hughes and Cam MacKay all voted against the motion, suggesting money would be better spent elsewhere.
MacKay even suggested Nov. 21 that the city might do well to put the Hogan and Cunningham houses up for sale and walk away from the project.
“I've never supported this project,” he said. “I don't think people are going to come here to the middle of a residential neighbourhood to see this.”
Hughes said she wasn’t necessarily opposed to the project, but said the long-term capital wish list is “overdrawn” and this project is not a high priority.
“We have to make more difficult choices,” she said. “At this point this council’s 10-year capital plan has far exceeded its budget.”
Mayor Nolan Crouse said considering the “tremendous” amount of upgrading the city has already put into the Heritage Park site, it would be prudent to keep moving forward and get the project finished.
“I think we’re into it, and let’s continue on,” he said. “We need to do the servicing here.”
The final version of the 2017 budget is scheduled for approval at council’s Dec. 12 meeting.
