The city is now asking the public to submit ideas for repurposing the eight multi-coloured sea-cans, which a committee is now recommending be removed from Towne Square.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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A large portion of the estimated $20,000 cost to remove eight sea-cans located in Towne Square includes the decommission of the market pods’ electrical service, as they are connected to the city’s grid.
Coun. Robert Dumanowski inquired about the cost during a public services committee meeting Monday following feedback from members of the public, and was informed most of the costs have to do with unhooking the pods from city utilities.
“How do we get that back? I’m getting a lot of that to be honest with you,” Dumanowski
The remainder of the cost would include the transportation of the market pods to the city’s outdoor storage yard along Kipling and Spence Street.
The city received funding for the sea-cans and market space through joint federal and provincial grant funding, meaning if the city sold the sea-cans any money would have to be credited back to the province. This means the city will not be able to recoup costs for moving and maintaining the pods.
Leah Prestayko, director community development, told committee members it’s important to keep the initiation of the grant funding in mind when deciding the next steps.
“They provided these grants to the community for the purchase of something that was meant to provide places and spaces of community value,” said Prestayko.
Joseph Hutter, managing director of public services, says the city has opened public engagement today and is asking the community to provide ideas on uses for the sea-cans. The city will collect feedback until Nov. 10 and will provide its findings to council on Nov. 18.
Ideas include storage for non-profit and community-based groups, recreation storage or repurpose them into greenhouses or portable medical facilities.
City staff are asking council to approve a recommendation that would remove the eight coloured market pods kitty corner to city hall on First Street SE, and have them repurposed for possible use by local non-profit and community based groups.
Public service committee members have learned the city spent more than $21,000 last year to hire contractors to clean the site from trash, drug paraphernalia, as well as human waste and urine.
‘Tin Can Alley’ has become a problem area for break-ins and vandalism and city staff believe there could be a great community benefit for the market pods in a different space.
Coun. Cassi Hider acknowledged the success of this year’s themed ‘Block Parties’ but says it’s time to move the pods away from Towne Square.
“I think the events that were done there, I think they were really well done,” says Hider. “Sometimes you have to shift.”
The motion to remove the downtown sea-cans still requires approval from council.
In 2020 the city received about $18 million for pathway expansion, campground upgrades, a pickleball facility at the Big Marble Go Centre and upgrades at Athletic Park, along with several roof maintenance projects at city buildings.
— with files from Collin Gallant
