By David F. Rooney
Revelstoke will benefit from a three-way investment, with the federal and provincial governments, of about $5 million that will push four major projects to completion.
The approved projects are the Clearview Heights Sanitary Sewer Extension, replacement of the Trans-Canada Highway Water Reservoir Tank, The Downie Street Lift Station Upgrade and the Aquatic Centre Heat Recovery System.
“We’re putting shovels in the ground to get people to work in these challenging economic times,” Kootenay-Columbia MP Jim Abbott said in a statement released late Friday afternoon.
“This is about working together among all three levels of government to enhance our communities and to improve quality of life… (and) Revelstoke’s infrastructure for all residents and visitors to benefit from in the years to come.”
Mayor David Raven was quoted in the statement as saying the City is pleased with the partnership.
“We’d like to thank the federal and provincial governments who recognize the importance of this project to Revelstoke,” he said.
Ross McPhee, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer, said Friday that “everyone here at City Hall is quite delighted.”
That’s particularly true, he said, since the one-third/one-third/one-third funding formula was not guaranteed when the City applied for financial assistance. Here are the four projects that received funding approval:
- Each level of government will contribute $322,000 for a total of $966,000 towards the Trans-Canada Highway Water Reservoir Replacement.
- Each level of government will contribute 176,333 for a total of $528,999 towards the Aquatic Centre Heat Recovery System.
- Each level of government will contribute $745,566 for a total of $2,236,700 towards the Downie Street lift Station Upgrade.
- Each level of government will contribute $419,259 for a total of $1,121,000 towards the Clearview Heights Sanitary Sewer Extension.
The City had applied some time ago for funding through the Building Canada Fund for the Water Reservoir, Aquatic Centre and Downie Street projects. The Clearview Heights project was added to the wish list when Engineering and Public Works Director Brian Mallett discovered that it would qualify under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.
McPhee said the planning has been done for these four projects. He anticipates their completion next year.
