Airdrie City council unanimously approved an additional $130,000 to complete the East Lake Athletic Park capital project, March 18.
The money, which will be taken from capital reserves, will be used to complete the final grading of the five-phase project at Genesis Place Recreation Centre, which is critical for Airdrie’s ability to host the 2014 Summer Games.
“We have to ensure there is no water going onto the track,” said Chris Reason, project manager.
“It all has to fit together so we ensure there’s no pooling on the track.”
The first stage of the athletic park was completed in 2009 and the second stage was approved by council within this year’s budget.
The total cost of the park and recreation facility, situated on about 20 acres, will be around $60 million once completed. According to the staff report, because the athletics park is the last piece of the project, it is subject to the surrounding development of the previous phases.
During the fall of 2012, a civil engineering firm produced plans to tie in the site drainage, incorporate the expanded track areas and construct a new pathway to East Lake Park. Finishing the project will include surveying, curbs, asphalt, landscaping, irrigation work and a new asphalt path and is expected to take about six months, setting the completion date for the project at mid-September 2013.
Alderman Allan Hunter expressed concern that money was not set aside at the beginning of the project.
“I like spending money if it’s money well spent,” he said. “I don’t like oops dollars. Going forward let’s put the engineering money up front.”
According to Michelle Locke, the City’s director of community services, staff followed its normal procedures when budgeting for the multi-year project.
“Each project was only budgeted for the scope of work at that time,” she said.
“We have carried a very efficient project.”
Alderman Murray Buchanan said the project is critical.
“We don’t really have a choice,” he said.
“There are surprises sometimes. We are hoping there won’t be a lot of other surprises.”
Council approved a request to increase the funds by about $14,000 for an aquatics project at Genesis Place.
Council approved a $72,800 aquatic climbing wall in its 2013 capital budget. During the budget process, the cost estimate for the aquatic wall was determined by obtaining quotes, but staff realized it did not have sufficient money, mainly due to not including shipping in the initial budget submission.
The updated cost for the climbing wall, which will be open to youth ages eight and older and will include a variety of climbing routes, is $86,900.
The climbing wall is one of two capital projects planned for this year.
The other project is a liner for the dive tank area, which has been secured and came under budget by $3,800.
Airdrie will not be going ahead with internet voting in this year’s municipal election, to take place this fall.
Mayor Peter Brown received a letter late in the evening of March 11 from Doug Griffiths, the minister of municipal affairs, refusing the required ministerial approval for the project.
The letter explained that while Griffiths certainly supports more research and information to be collected, there are too many questions left unanswered to proceed with the project.
Brown said the letter was disappointing.
“I thought it would be something that would entice some voters to come out and vote,” he said,
Council had penned a letter to the minister of municipal affairs asking for approval to go ahead with the project. The letter, sent after the last council meeting, March 4, also outlined council’s concerns about privacy and possible voter fraud.
