Castlegar city council made decisions this week that will help the city prepare for winter, increase safety and replace a heavily used stretch of sidewalk.
Castlegar will be replacing one of its front line pieces of equipment with a new single axle snow plow and sand truck. The 2016 International Workstar will replace the aging 1986 plow currently in use that is due for replacement. After deducting the trade in value of the old plow, the bill for the new one will be $208,004.
A contract has been awarded to VVI Construction for the removal and replacement of approximately 135 metres of deteriorated sidewalk on 24th Street between Columbia Avenue and 6th Avenue along the perimeter of the old Branson Pool Park. The project will include new sidewalks, curbs and gutters and repatriation of a portion of the park area. Funding will come from the line item budget for major sidewalk repairs and replacements.
Council took care of some bookkeeping procedures that will enable them to take advantage of a $17,054 Municipal Insurance Association (MIA) risk management grant. Each year the MIA provides member municipalities with a free risk control survey to help them identify exposures to liability and assist in managing those exposures.
In 2014 and 2015 the survey looked over the Millennium Park swimming ponds, the Connors Road cycle path and Zuckerberg Island. The report recommended that the city fix tree snags and remove dangerous trees on Zuckerburg Island and erect additional signage in all three of the surveyed areas. The project will go out to tender after a tender form standardization is completed.
