Road, water and sewer repairs are among the top priorities for infrastructure projects in Black Diamond this year.
Black Diamond town council approved $5,461,245 in infrastructure and capital projects for its 2018 capital budget on May 2.
"Right now, because Black Diamond has had issues with both water and sewage, we prioritized based on emergent issues,” said Mayor Ruth Goodwin. "Every year things need to be replaced that you’re putting away for that time. If we have something else come up we have to deal with it.”
The more than $5 million in projects will be covered by grant and reserve money, Goodwin said.
"Because of the fact that we actually live off of grants and we have been very good in the past at putting money away in reserves for our capital projects, that has to continue,” she said. "As we’re moving forward in a very uncertain economic period of time federally and provincially, there is no guarantee where additional funds will come from. It’s very important that small communities continue to save for infrastructure and capital projects. It doesn’t come as such a load on the taxpayer when that time comes. That to me is very reflective of responsible government.”
Council approved $3,303,336 for various public works projects including replacing water and sewer lines on 3 Ave. SE, roads, storm sewer, water and waste water infrastructure from Government Road to 2 St. SW and a water main extension from 1 St. SW to Government Road on 3 Ave. SW. Included in that amount is an extendable chute for a snow blower, street lights along 3 Ave. NW, the 2 St. lift station and replacing a public works water truck, leaking fire hydrant on 4 St. and Centre Ave. SW and generator at the Centre St. lift station.
Additionally, $431,000 was approved for the Black Diamond Fire Department for bathroom upgrades, the purchase of a tanker in conjunction with the MD of Foothills and replacing a command vehicle that has exceeded its life by three years.
"The fire department has a number of different items outstanding that need to be addressed,” Sharlene Brown, chief administrative officer, told council. "The bathroom upgrade was supposed to be done in 2017, but it wasn’t completed.”
Renovation work in the municipal building is expected to be complete by the end of the year. Council budgeted $134,641.80 for new flag poles, lighting replacement in the council chambers and grading work and rebuilding the stairs in front of the building.
The parks and recreation department has $422,006 budgeted to install a swale under a path south of the dry pond in Riverwood, install a drain in the garage where summer equipment is stored, replace the Zamboni in the ice rink and construct the Boys and Girls Club of Diamond Valley’s Field of Dreams regulation-sized baseball diamond - to which the Town contributed land and $77,000 from capital reserves.
Flood recovery work is expected to be completed this year, budgeted at $584,903.27 for erosion control, bio-engineering work and assisting the MD of Foothills’ fish habitat project - all of which comes from disaster relief and Flood Recovery Erosion Control (FREC) grants.
Council also approved $700,000 for the purchase of land for planning and development purposes.
