Development of Millennium Park in downtown St. Albert is one step closer to becoming a reality as council approved first reading of a $20.8 million borrowing bylaw for the project on Jan. 23.
Millennium Park covers the green space separating St. Albert Place and Lions Park on the south side of the Sturgeon River, and has been an ongoing project for the city since 2018.
Last month, council approved a new design for the park, which is set to feature a playground, a picnic shelter, a pavilion building with commercial space, a water feature that will double as a public skating space in the winter months, and boardwalks.
To achieve the amount of open green space (8,700 square metres) included in the new design, the city will need to cut down 56 per cent of the trees in the area. The amount of open green space and views of the Sturgeon River were an issue with the previous design for several members of council.
The park's actual cost is expected to be about $16.6 million, but the borrowing bylaw includes a 25 per cent contingency amount, which raises the budget to $20.8 million. Council would need to approve any spending over the original $16.6 million project budget.
There was no council debate on the borrowing bylaw on Tuesday, and first reading passed with Coun. Shelley Biermanski and Coun. Sheena Hughes opposed. Both Biermanski and Hughes also voted against the new design last month.
Mayor Cathy Heron has previously said she thinks residents will be “very happy” with Millennium Park.
“When you're building something like this, which will be probably quite significant for this council, you don't want to do half a job, you want to do the best job you can do for your community,” she said.
Likewise, Coun. Mike Killick said he is “absolutely 100 per cent” supportive of the new Millennium Park design, which was only developed after he initiated a council workshop last year to have council discuss last minute changes to the previous design, which had been in place since 2018.
Those opposed to the park's development, Biermanski and Hughes, have repeatedly said that the park's high cost is a deterrent.
“I can't support the high-level intent on this project; it's just too much cost to the public at this time,” Biermanski said.
Now that first reading of the borrowing bylaw has been approved, second and third reading will occur during a council meeting in early April. If approved, the park's debt will be supported by property taxes, and will need to be entirely paid off in 20 years.
A report to council written by Brenda Barclay, a city manager of financial operations, says the bylaw's approval will allow for further design and construction to start immediately.
“Construction [is] anticipated to be completed in 2025,” Barclay wrote.
According to a seperate report to council, the Millennium Park debenture would raise the city's overall debt to close to $150 million starting next year, although less than $75 million of the overall debt is tax-supported.
The city's debt limit, as dictated by the Municipal Government Act, is close to $350 million, while a council policy dictates the city must not borrow more than 85 per cent of the limit set by the province.
