28 Jul 2025 Special Council meeting Environment

Strategic Priorities Fund Capital Infrastructure Stream

Motion

That Council direct Staff to apply to the Strategic Priorities Fund Capital Infrastructure Stream for funding for the Beban HVAC project and that Council commits to Staff providing overall grant management and support any cost overruns.

Minutes, page 5

Sources

Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting

Staff reportPage 1

Purpose

To provide Council with information on potential projects for the Strategic Priorities Fund Capital Infrastructure Stream and obtain a Council resolution supporting an application under this program stream.

Staff report, page 1

Council’s motion differs from staff’s recommendation

Staff report, page 1

DocumentsStaff report about Economic Development, Transportation & Mobility (Purpose of Report)

Ian Thorpe Yes

And Easter, in that order. Thanks. Your worship, I had similar concerns. And thoughts, as several other counselors have mentioned. For me personally. Commercial street. Phase three is not a priority at this time. I think Commercial street and its merchants deserve a respite, and certainly until there's been more consultation with the Victoria Crescent association if I have that name right. So for me, it was the HVAC or the butter tubs system, and I would lean towards the HVAC as being slightly more important. Thank you.

▶ 48:04

Sheryl Armstrong Yes

For me, this has to be done like. Commercial street is a nice to have. It doesn't have to be done. We've heard loud and clear from the businesses. They've been impacted by terminal park construction or terminal construction, the auto instruction $7 million versus 4 million. That's a savings for us. If it gets approved. I think we can look at it from the reduced GH emissions which will go to their policies that they're looking at, and it has to be done or our pool doesn't. Run. So for me, I think the HVaC system makes far more sense than going for something that we can do at a later date, which isn't even in our five year.

▶ 41:20

Councilor Armstrong. I just wanted to comment on a couple of things. One of my concerns, and I did also look at butter tubs was the fact that other sewer projects would be reprioritized. Which had been waiting for a long time. So I'm concerned about that. The other concern I have on the Butter tubs project again is there is also construction fatigue on that area? Because Bowen has been dug up. For how long? Northield has been dug up. And I also. Think that our pools can't run unless the HVAC systems are there, period. And we're doing a lot of building in other parts of town, and I understand the urgency, but. I also believe there's going to be more infrastructure grants becoming available that the HVAC system would not qualify for Lake housing grant, so that was my main reason for choosing that one. Over buttercubs, because I do agree it's important too, but I think there's. Other. Projects. I mean, there's other dollars that that project would qualify for that the HVAC. Wouldn't thank you.

▶ 48:38

Leonard Krog No

Matters, particularly when it involves various projects of various kinds, the lot of technical expertise involved, and it says, quite simply, the strategic priorities fund capital infrastructure stream is an application based funding program which pools a portion of the annual. Candidate community building fund for strategic investments that are considered large, in scale, regional and impact or innovative and support the CCBF. National objectives of productivity and economic growth, a clean environment and strong cities and communities. For me. Candidly, the HvAC system doesn't do it. Nor does butter tubs. Marsh.

▶ 49:30

Erin Hemmens Yes

The rationale of staff. Providing immediate relief. Phase solution balances short term needs of long term sustainability. This is pipes in the ground. This is vital. So I think I could go either way. Around the commercial street upgrades. I'm not in favor of that, but I do want to. Ask staff when that came to us. As a possibility. Did we consult with the Victoria Crescent Business association at all about their ability to. Weather, construction.

▶ 45:10

Paul Manly Yes

And the HVAC, because I think these is both necessary systems, one to deal with growth and one to deal with, making sure we keep the pool close. Closed. I'm happy to support either. We got the HVAC system on the table. And I hope we find the money. For the butter tubs marsh lateral system soon, too, because I think.

▶ 44:31

Questions and answers

Councillor Ben Geselbracht
Yes

asked

Gesselbrock. Thanks, mayor. Through you, I had similar feelings. Just kind of on the side between the HVAC and the butter tubs marsh lateral system. And just a question regarding the lateral system. Would that allow for increased densities where in the areas mentioned, such as around Viu and maybe up in the defense area. Just allow us to achieve housing targets. And properly plan for future growth. Through the

City staff answered

chair, Councilor Gezbrak. You're exactly right. Those are the general. Areas. So certainly. The university. The DND lands, college park. Those are all kind of tributary or were tributary staff have had to work. Intern measures to redirect flows temporarily to other areas, but generally those are the areas that would be serviced by an upgrade like this. Just to

▶ 41:57

Councillor Erin Hemmens
Yes

asked

given everything that downtown businesses have faced, I feel that if we were to pursue this without checking in with them first. That would not go over well. A question. Between the HVAC and the butter tubs marsh lateral system, I'm thinking. About interruption service. Does the Bevin pool still run if the HVAC system is being replaced? I imagine the lateral system replacement would tear up. Given that it's piping, we'd be tearing up the ground, so the risk of or not the risk, but the length of interruption to city business would be longer with the Butter tub

Karen Robertson

answeredDeputy Corporate Officer

Marsh project. Is that accurate? Through your worship to councilor Himmons? Yes, that's correct. It would actually be similar. To what we're looking at at NAC right now, so. We've just started the process with NAc. But also early phases for Babin. But it's similar sort of service interruption that we would have to schedule and work through with operations.

followed up

And I'm not sure if this is your department and you can answer, but the interruption. Of pipes in the ground versus HVAC system. Do we have any sense of