The Thompson Nicola Regional District Board at their June 13 meeting approved Federal Gas Tax Funds totaling $79,000 for improvements to the Little Fort Community Hall water system.
The application for funding noted that the Little Fort Farmers Institute were the original owners of the Little Fort Community Hall (located at 148 Hwy 24 in Little Fort). In 2000, ownership was moved to the Little Fort Recreation Society (LFRS), and then shortly thereafter the TNRD took over ownership of the hall in trust, for the Community of Little Fort.
In late 2014 an agreement was signed between the TNRD and the Little Fort Recreation Society. Under that agreement the Society was responsible, among other things, to organize and manage the hall and its operations, maintain and arrange for repairs, and assess and collect fees for use of the hall.
The water supply for the community hall is a shallow well which, after recent renovations, is located within the fire truck garage portion of the Community Hall building. Upgrades were made to the water system in 2010 by the TNRD, and volunteers with the Little Fort Recreation Society have been operating the system.
In 2016 the TNRD Board approved $5,000 in Gas Tax funding for potable water supply piping improvements in the hall.
More recently, after problems with the operation of the water system disinfection equipment and concerns about maintaining chlorine residuals, it has become necessary to make additional capital improvements to ensure safe operation of the system. The recommended improvements included:
• Chlorine contact tank c/w valve and timer,
• Drain pit,
• Control panel and programming,
• Instrumentation,
• Chlorine and turbidity analyzers,
• Well head modifications to meet regulatory requirements, and
• Installation and commissioning.
The recommended improvements also include new communications equipment and SCADA controls, so the system can be monitored remotely.
The total estimated cost, including a contingency and engineering totals $84,000. By utilizing the previously approved $5000 in Gas Tax, the most recent current Gas Tax funding approval of $79,000 provides the total amount required to complete the project.
