Council for the District of Squamish unanimously, if somewhat reluctantly, passed a motion to increase the budget for the Kingswood pedestrian overpass on Highway 99 from $500,000 to $750,000 in order to enter into a contract with Tyam Construction Ltd. at its regular council meeting Tuesday (Sept. 6).
The project, which will reinstall pre-cast concrete beams previously removed from Centennial Way, will cost $632,355.39 plus GST.
Council members, including Coun. Patricia Heintzman, agreed on the urgency of creating safe passage over the highway at the Kingswood Park and Tantalus Road emergency access.
"This is such a key component of making sure Garibaldi Highlands and Brackendale is connected, and currently there's an unsafe situation where people are hiking their bikes over the median or walking up to Depot Road with kids in tow. This is a very key and important safety feature as well as a connectivity issue," she said.
Although supportive of the project, Coun. Rob Kirkham voiced concern over the source of the extra funding, stating that the project originally relied on grant funding.
"I find this a bit misleading. The way I see it, we did not authorize or talk about it this was not identified as a borrowing project," said Kirkham.
Financial director Ralph Hughes said $750,000 can be taken from long term debt incorporated in the 2009 budget that will no longer be incurred on the landfill.
If the project begins mid-October, it should be finished by the end of the year.
Waterfront roads cause concern
Council voted to issue Squamish Ocean Point Holdings Inc. a development variance permit to move ahead with its streetscape design, including street lighting and road widths, for the Waterfront Landing development.
The development, which is located on the south side of the Mamquam Blind Channel, is being designed to maintain the principles specified by the district's smart growth policies.
Residential roads are to decrease in width from 11 metres to nine metres, allowing for two moving lanes and one parking lane opposed to two moving lanes and two parking lanes.
Coun. Doug Race expressed concern over losing a parking lane.
"I'd hate to be a slave to the automobile but the fact is there are automobiles that will service this development," he said.
However, district planner Cameron Chalmers assured council that plans ensure sufficient parking.
Bus shelters popping up
Squamish will have more bus shelters after council approved West Coast Weather Barriers to start construction at a price not to exceed $54,598 plus GST.
The shelters will be funded by a grant of $202,000 received through the provincial Public Transit Infrastructure Program.
The first Plexiglas structure will be installed on Cleveland Avenue across from Fields department store because it was deemed the highest use location with no present shelter. Two more are expected to be installed on Garibaldi Way, one eastbound at Chevron and another westbound at Petro-Can.
Kirkham inquired about creating revenue from selling advertisement space on the shelter. Financial director Ralph Hughes said advertisement sales were not considered in the report.
Street cleaning bailed out
Council unanimously voted to augment the 2009 operations department street cleaning (sweeper) budget by $23,000 from council contingency funds, and the drainage budget by $25,000 from Municipal Insurance Association account ($15,000) and fleet administration ($10,000).
The drainage budget was reduced by $95,000, or 35 per cent, from the 2008 actual costs during the 2009 budget. The district was unable to complete the minimum prescribed work with the reduced budget.
The move is to ensure the appropriate level of service is provided to decrease the risk of flooding.
The work must be done in the fall months before a combination of leaves and debris accumulate before heavy rains. Work includes leaf collection and catch basin cleaning utilizing the mechanical sweeper and general labour.
Gas stations asked to lower prices
In the wake of numerous complaints over local gas prices creeping up to seven cents per litre higher than Vancouver prices, Coun. Paul Lalli put forward a motion to write a letter to local stations and their head offices requesting prices "reflect correct market gas prices," on par with the Lower Mainland rates, which are subject to Translink surcharges.
The motion also directs staff to investigate other opportunities to advance the district's position and report back at the next council meeting.
