Prince George Citizen March 9, 2019 by Prince George Citizen

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Saturday, March 9, 2019 | Your community newspaper since ince 1916

Bills for bridgework, sinkhole repair total $8.5M Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca City council will consider adding a further $8.5 million to its debt load during Monday night’s regular meeting to cover the cost of building the bridge on Willow Cale Road at Haggith Creek and dealing with the sinkhole on Winnipeg Street. Of the total, $6.8 million is for the bridge project. Previously expected to cost $3.7 million, the bill rose to $10.5 million after the project ran into difficulties. Work on the sinkhole added up to $1.7 million. Pending council approval, money for both projects would be borrowed over five years. A term for longer than five years is not possible as elector assent would be required and the projects have already been completed. Debt-servicing costs over those five years add up to $1.47 million for the bridge and $368,364 for the sinkhole and both those totals would be incorporated into the 2020 levy. The $3.7 million first earmarked for the bridge was included in the 2019 levy. Combined, the cost of borrowing for the two projects will increase the property tax levy for 2020 by 0.95 per cent over the total approved for 2019, according to a report from finance director Kris Dalio. Previously-approved debt would add a further 0.75 per cent for a total of 1.7 per cent for 2020. The 2020 levy won’t be affected if all 11 projects for which the city will be seeking voter approval to borrow $32.2 million passes the alternative approval process, scheduled to begin April 18. But for 2021, the levy would rise by 1.41 per cent, of which previously-approved debt would account for 0.87 per cent. For 2022, it would decline by 0.57 per cent due to a 0.89 per cent decline in debt servicing for previouslyapproved debt. And in 2023, it is set to rise by 4.01 per cent over the 2019 level, with the $35 million Four Seasons Leisure Pool replacement to account for 2.27 per cent, Fire Hall No. 1 replacement accounting for 0.97 per cent and the 11 projects accounting for 1.31 per cent. But that jump could be tempered. The city has applied for $10 millon from the B.C.-Canada Infra-

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ABOVE: On Monday city council will consider adding $8.5 million to the city’s debt load to cover the cost of building a bridge on Willow Cale Road over Haggith Creek and dealing with a major sinkhole on Winnipeg Street. Construction of the bridge went $6.8 million over budget after unstable soil beneath the bridge caused the asphalt to start cracking. BELOW: A large sinkhole formed in Winnipeg Street in June 2018, caused by a leaking section of storm pipe. Repairs to the pipe and roadway cost the city $1.7 million. structure Program for the Four Seasons Leisure Pool project and on Monday, council will also be asked to give staff permission to apply for a $6.3-million grant from the Clean BC communities fund in the name of increasing the pool’s energy efficiency and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Combined, those two would lessen the increase by 1.06 per cent, bringing the amount down to 2.95 per cent for 2023. In reports to council, engineering and public works general manager Dave Dyer provided summaries of the circumstances that led up to the bills for the Haggith Creek Bridge and the Winnipeg Street sinkhole. A culvert at Haggith Creek, where the Willow Cale Forest Service Road was first built more than 50 years ago, was failing. — see ‘THE REMEDIATION, page 3

Spot a large puddle? Call 311 Citizen staff City residents are encouraged to contact city hall to report large puddles or flooding as the March melting season gets underway. That can be done by calling 311, sending an email to 311@princegeorge.ca, submitting a service request through the city website, www.princegeorge.ca, or the CityofPG app, or by dropping by the service centre on the first floor at city hall, 1100 Patricia Blvd. Those calling from outside city limits can call 250-561-7600 Taking the step helps the city prioritize and plan, city utilities manager Wil Wedel said. The utilities division has a crew of about 40 people who keep their eyes on more than 5,500 storm drains to keep them as clog-free as possible and to prevent traffic issues and localized flooding. The city’s roads and fleet division also provides crews and equipment, including snow plows, to address open ditch and culvert flooding and drainage issues. Workers use a variety of means including GPS mapping and metal detectors to locate

Today’s Weather Hi -5° Low -11° See page 2 for more details and short-term forecasts

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drains and steel grates buried under snow and ice. At this time of year, they may use vacuum trucks to remove water from puddles and expose drains and melt ice with steam units to allow meltwater to drain freely down drains, culverts and storm inlets. It is the responsibility of property owners to procure pumps and other materials and tools necessary to protect their properties from damage due to flooding. They can work to prevent large puddles and ponding near their homes by ensuring that debris such as leaves, plastic, or paper are not covering nearby storm drains. Residents are also reminded not to use sprinklers to melt snow and ice, and that those who do may be subject to a fine as per city bylaws. “Sandbagging, tarping, ditching, and clearing clogged drains and culverts are all effective measures for reducing the risk of flooding,” said Wedel. “Residents with houses at risk for basement flooding are advised to have sump pumps available and to be prepared to work with neighbours to divert water to the closest storm drains.”

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A car drives through a huge puddle on Winnipeg Street Friday afternoon. Forecasted warming temperatures are likely to cause rapidly melting snow and ice, which can quickly form into large puddles and ponds on city streets.

Salmon to recover from pipeline MONEY 23

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