A sold-out crowd watches Game 5 of the WMBL championship series in this August 2018 file photo.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Flush with cash from other levels of government, Medicine Hat city council put $21 million into its construction plan for the next 15 months on Monday night.
That money, meant to stoke the pandemic economic slump, will go toward a major rehab of Athletic Park, trail development, a substantial pickleball facility and civic building maintenance, among other projects.
“It’s a lot of money,” Mayor Ted Clugston told the News following Monday’s fully open council meeting at chambers in city hall.
He said restraints on which projects were eligible, timelines and other factors made it difficult to find projects that would qualify, but he credited administration.
“Frankly, we’re worried that with all this money going out across the province, we’ll have trouble finding contractors.”
Funds must be spent by the end of 2021, and the amount substantially beefs up the city’s capital spending.
In comparison, the current four-year budget calls for capital outlays of about $25.5 million each year – a huge pull back from a major project year before that.
The new money amounts to $7.5 million from the province’s Municipal Stimulus Program and nearly $11 million from an new federal COVID Resiliency Stream fund of Infrastructure Canada.
That is matched by $3.5 million in city spending, only about half of which is unplanned and related to new projects. The remaining projects were approved in 2018 but with borrowing as the major source of funds.
Provincial stimulus cash will be dedicated to tourism, outdoor recreation and sports facilities, including a $2-million, 20-court pickleball facility which garnered most debate on Monday.
Coun. Kris Samraj supported a maintenance-heavy list of federal projects, but said provincial money should have supported downtown development goals of creating a new “river district.”
“Out of all our projects we came up with pickleball?” he asked. He was the lone vote against the budget amendment after stating: “I don’t appreciate being used as a rubber stamp.”
Other councillors said they were pleased with the project list and the money.
Coun. Brian Varga said projects will support sports tourism and quality of life, which bolsters the tourism sector of the economy.
“These are five things that will not only enhance our community, but make us some money,” he said.
Council approved a $1.3-million upgrade to the Gas City campground, $1.7 million for trail extensions.
A “Town Square” proposal to upgrade the 603 First Street parking lot would cost $2 million, include a solar canopy and the ability to use it as festival space.
Coun. Jamie McIntosh said that would support the River district concept at no cost to local taxpayers.
“It’s phase one of the development that starts to enhance our downtown,” he said
The major federally-funded projects is $3 million for upgraded canopy, seating, fencing, gates and ticket office at Athletic Park.
A second floor expansion ($2.2 million) would be added to the city’s building at 533 First St. It houses city health and safety workers.
Spending would go to transit scheduling, dispatch and electronic fare gathering ($290,000 combined). A mobile app for all city services would cost $500,000.
Among projects that would see federal money stand in for city borrowing:
– Bridge decks ($3.3 million), trail rehab ($1.4 million), and sidewalks ($1 million);
– New roofs of repairs ($750,000) at the airport, fleet garage, tennis club and parks building) and two ventilation projects ($530,000);
– Echo Dale tree replanting ($440,000) and water treatment upgrades ($340,000);
– Smaller projects and boilers ($170,000).
Overall, city’s cost would be $1.8 million of the $7.9-million total cost, or about one-quarter the total budgets.
“There is a cost to the city, but we’d be foolish not to take them up on it,” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski.
