INNISFAIL – Town council has approved the million-dollar contract for the 37th Street reconstruction project in West Gate Industrial Park.
At council’s regular meeting on June 28, Steven Kennedy, the town’s director of operational services, presented an updated project report. This followed an earlier one on April 26 when council gave the green light to go ahead with the project’s final design, procurement and reconstruction of 37th Street between 61st Avenue to 58th Avenue.
Council unanimously approved an administration recommendation on June 28 to accept a tender bid of $1,033,207.98 from Red Deer’s Central City Asphalt Ltd. Council was told Central City completed the 61 Avenue Reconstruction project in 2020 and is currently working on the Town's 2021 Mill and Overlay program.
The total cost of the 37th Street project is $ 1,233,775.78, which includes, engineering and testing, construction and contingency. The project will be funded from the Building Canada Grant and the town’s Utility Stabilization Reserve.
The timeline of the project was not publicly announced.
The reconstruction of 37th Street would complete all road improvement priorities identified by town staff for West Gate Industrial Park.
Last year the town completed the 61st Avenue reconstruction project, which was valued at $913,655.83. That cost is being partially offset by a Special Tax on 10 property owners for a period of 15 years.
The same Special Tax plan is being pursued by the town for the 37th Street reconstruction project.
Council was told administration has contacted all the property owners along 37 Street between 61 Avenue and 58 Street to review the proposed project design.
More recently, council heard, they were contacted again about the Special Tax. Kennedy said in his report each owner was given the approximate annual amount based on their frontage.
He said all property owners were pleased to hear the project was moving forward, with a majority requesting an additional meeting to finalize driveway widths and an update on construction schedules.
Kennedy said only one owner was against the Special Tax. He said a majority were neither in favour or against but they understood the reasoning behind it.
Kennedy said the Special Tax component for the 37th Street reconstruction project will be brought back to council through the Tax Bylaw in April of 2022 and each subsequent year.
A Special Tax is one that is applied and approved annually by council, or can be rescinded after each year, if council deems there is a good reason to end it, such as growing property owner objections.
Council was told administration will work closely with project consultant Al-Terra Engineering on communication with businesses as the project progresses.
