A proposed recreation project which arose from budget deliberations 18 months ago is one step closer to reality after council gave the go ahead last week to accept a proposal from one of four submitted plans.
But the project is going to cost twice as much as what was initially budgeted for when the idea of building an outdoor boarded skating rink was raised in November 2021.
Council amended the capital budget for the project last week – upping the price tag from $500,000 to $1 million.
"This budget amendment is a reflection of the lowest qualified bidder that we received," explained parks and irrigation manager and project director Darcy Findlay. "We did receive four bids and the lowest bidder plus the 15 per cent contingency amount brings us up to the total of $1 million that we’re looking to raise the budget to at this point."
Last February, the parking lot of St. John Paul II Collegiate was chosen as the preferred location for the rink. The project includes the construction of an outdoor boarded rink with a concrete pad, netting above the board, lighting, accessibility viewing options and barrier free access, according to the Town.
It would be open year-round, being flooded for skating in the winter, and having lines painted for basketball and other court activities in the off-season.
Project completion was initially expected to be the winter of 2022, but the logistics of establishing agreements with Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, designing the amenity and securing development permits were more arduous than anticipated, the Town said previously.
Because the location is being used in July's Alberta Summer Games and is on a school site, the Town has put a rather tight timeline for the project's construction.
Building would begin immediately after the conclusion of the Games and finish before the start of the new school year – approximately six weeks.
Council was given three options by administration: to approve the increased project for the budget, accepting the contractor's proposal, postponing the decision until later this month to await the closure of request for proposals for the regional water projects, or to cancel the project.
Coun. Cheryl Actemichuk put forward a motion to cancel the project for now, explaining that while she is in favour of building the rink, it isn't the biggest capital priority right now.
"It’s certainly not that I’m against having an outdoor rink, if we can provide people a way to get out and be active, I'm a huge proponent of that," she said. "But to do it to the cost of taxpayers at double the original anticipated amount, I don’t think is fiscally responsible of us when we’ve got a water pipeline that we’re trying to bring to fruition."
Her motion was defeated, with only Mayor Tanya Thorn voting in favour.
Next came Coun. Brent Robinson's motion, asking to approve the budget amendment.
"I think we should carry on with this project," he said. "I think not having an outdoor rink in this community is a huge miss and its been for almost 20 years. I think it’s a tragedy we didn’t get it done sooner and it’s a shame that we didn’t get it done cheaper.
"I think we shouldn’t be anchored by the fact that we thought we were getting a good deal the first time for not making the right decision this time."
The councillor's motion passed, with only Actemichuk voting in opposition.
