The Parksville Downtown Business Association (PDBA) can expect to receive $47,000 from the City of Parksville in order to complete their Pedestrian Wayfinding Project.
At the latest council meeting, city councillors voted in favour of adding $47,000 to the city’s 2020-2024 financial plan for the project, previously approved at the April 10, 2017 council meeting.
The total funding authorization of $168,000 was meant to be distributed over a three-year period during the city’s 2017-2021 financial plan. A total of $74,000 was planned for the 2017 distribution, $47,000 for 2018 and the final $47,000 for 2019.
The PDBA advised council the $47,000 allocated for 2019 was not distributed last year and had not been carried forward to the 2020 budget. They said the last distribution is needed to “satisfy the city’s funding commitment.”
Pamela Bottomley, executive director for the PDBA, wrote a letter to city staff, dated Oct. 15, 2020, which requested the release of the remaining funds so the PDBA can proceed to the “fabrication and installment” of phase three, and finish the project.
As part of the project, PDBA members and city staff completed a warranty review of phase two on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, noting that several changes needed to be made. The warranty review indicated four deficiencies that required correction which included adding a north arrow towards the Beach Club Resort on a sign face; properly securing a sign to the post as the bolts and washers were rusted; and properly aligning an aluminum base cover compass that did not point north.
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Phase three of the project involves the installation of pedestrian guides at several proposed high-traffic locations throughout the city, and for the installation of an information kiosk at the southeast corner of the Island Highway at McMillan Street.
Coun. Doug O’Brien thanked Bottomly and Joe Doxey, acting director of engineering for the city, for their efforts during the warranty review of phase two.
“The Wayfinding system should last longer because they’re making sure that it was done according to the standards that was suggested originally,” he said.
O’Brien also acknowledged the financial contributions the city made towards the project, and was surprised by how much “in-kind funding” and staff-time was used.
“It’s something that we have to keep in mind because the staff are super overloaded as is.”
