A budget process that more than three months ago which included an open town forum that hosted public debate, and several budgetary sessions of village council, has ended as Village of Burns Lake council members voted to accept the 2013 municipal budget on Jan. 29, 2013.
As covered in detail previously by the Lakes District News, the village will have a balanced budged for 2013, with a one per cent municipal tax rate increase, a 17 per cent increase to waste collection rates, and a 22 per cent increase to water and sewer rates. Combined, these increases amount to an annual increase of $95.32 for residential rate payers and $253.10 per year for commercial rate payers.
Capital, water and sewer reserves, will increase to a combined total of approximately $170,000 with these rate increases.
After the budget approval session, a meeting of the Committee of the Whole was held in council chambers to review the progress of the multi-use facility expansion to the Tom Forsyth Arena.
Armen Mamouriam of Bruce Carscadden Architect Inc. led council through a 3-D virtual tour of the new facility via an online presentation from his Vancouver office.
As previously requested by council, plans included a racquet-sport court that has a movable wall to allow for either a racquetball court or a squash court.
The facility will include a climbing wall and an approximately 1600 square foot fitness room. The concession area and kitchen will be moved to accommodate the fitness room. The new food area will occupy the current ground floor of the curling rink building and will be accessible from the arena, Spirit Square and the curling rink. Interior designs call for exposed timber beams and decorative wood ceiling and trim work wherever applicable.
According to Village of Burns Lake chief administrative officer, Sheryl Worthing, construction plans are on schedule. The contractor (Venture Pacific Construction Management) expects to have the building permit in hand by late February with tender documents going out shortly after that.
An updated construction schedule for the $2.9 million project will be available once the contractor has approved the tenders.
