Provincial cash funding city sidewalks, says Gaal

Five sidewalk projects along the Hart Highway will be finished this year with provincial funds.

According to a report to council from public works director Bill Gaal, the city received money from the Transportation Ministry's Transit Minor Betterment program.

Through this program, municipalities are able to make accessibility improvements to transit infrastructure within provincial right of ways.

The $200,000 budget will go towards installing sidewalks at five intersections along Highway 97 North from the corner to the bus stop at Northwood Pulpmill Road, Monterey Road, Birchwood Road, Lehman Street and Noranda Road. The bus pullout at Northwood Pulpmill Road will also be improved.

Construction on these projects began in September by local contractors under supervision by the city.

Lights out

Connaught Hill Park will be dark this holiday season with the Northern Lights Festival's cancellation.

The annual event is co-ordinated by Tourism P.G. and the city typically provides the storage, installation and maintenance of lighting displays and snow clearing up to the park.

The festival allowed attendees to drive through the park for the cost of $10 per vehicle to take in the light show over the course of a month.

But the tourism agency isn't leading the charge anymore and the city doesn't have the available resources to carry the event itself, said a report to council from public works director Bill Gaal.

"The city lacks the capacity to assume the co-ordination role while providing the necessary support for the Canada Winter Games," Gaal wrote.

According to information associated with the core services review, it costs the city $20,000 for the services they provide in-kind to the festival.

Police fees upped

Council passed the first three readings of a bylaw change that would increase the price of some RCMP support services fees.

The fees affected are for mechanical inspection reports and police information searches or copies.

Currently, mechanical inspection reports requested by a third party when a vehicle collision has resulted in a fatality or caused excessive damage cost $110. Staff are recommending the full cost charged to the city be recovered, which is estimated at $200.

The $10 fee for traffic report synposes and the $35 fee for police information searches and copies are recommended to increase to $62 - the same price as criminal record checks. Information included under the search/copy fee includes insurance letters, field diagrams and fingerprints.