Banff’s politicians have begun grappling with the Town’s 2012 capital budget, which calls for an off-leash dog park, a pedestrian bridge across the Bow River and completion of the Legacy Trail at the west entrance to town.
The 2012 capital budget calls for $8.65 million in projects already on the books, plus identifies an additional $1.5 million in new projects for which there are currently no dollars, such as the dog park and Legacy Trail.
Council began budget deliberations Monday (Nov. 28) and continued Wednesday (Nov. 30). No decisions or motions had been made by the time the Outlook went to press.
Officials say the Town of Banff’s capital reserves are beginning to look healthier, but, like most municipalities in Canada, there is still a significant infrastructure deficit.
“In 2011, council started an initiative to set targets for capital reserves because we realize our reserves are under-funded in many cases, and we are working on a long-term plan to correct that,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen.
“This council wants to make sure our reserves are as healthy as possible as we move forward into the future.”
Staff are proposing to bring forward a project to sling sewer pipes underneath a pedestrian bridge across the Bow River from Muskrat Street to Spray Avenue. The replacement of the aging pipes, which currently run under the bed of the river, was previously scheduled for 2014.
However, in order to pay for the $6.35 million sanitary siphon/pedestrian bridge project – $4.445 million in 2012 and $1.905 million in 2013 – the municipality proposes to put off any road construction projects until 2013.
The long-awaited Cave Avenue reconstruction project is the first one on the books for 2013, with the 300 block of Banff Avenue scheduled for the following year.
“As a result of moving the pedestrian bridge-sewer project forward, there are no street projects proposed for 2012,” said Chris Hughes, the Town of Banff’s senior accountant.
“Our internal capacity is to do about one a year, so we’ve stacked them.”
“There’s been a lot of work done on the options to build a pedestrian bridge,” he said.
A forecast $3.3 million in projects is also being carried forward from 2011 to 2012. As well, about $642,000 was returned to reserves in 2011 because projects did not proceed for whatever reason.
Some of those projects include $576,000 for a new N-Viro biosolids processing plant, $521,000 for street lighting upgrades, $370,000 for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and $130,000 for upgrades to the Tunnel Mountain pump house to get better water flow to fight fires.
There’s also a plan to replace the fire department’s 17-year-old rescue truck.
“We want to replace it with a custom-built truck, for the purpose of responding to an emergency,” said fire chief Silvio Adamo. “It would fit six members, as opposed to five, in a safe cab.”
Not including the $1.5 million in proposed new projects, a $1.6 million reserve deficit is anticipated at the end of 2012 and, if all new projects are approved, the reserves go to a positive balance by 2016.
There is an estimated $18.6 million in reserves forecast by the end of 2021.
Some of the new initiatives, which are unbudgeted and have no year identified, include:
• The Whyte Museum seeking $33,000 in funding from the Town to help them buy The Spirit Bear, which is currently on loan to the museum from the artist for a one-year period. Total purchase price is $120,000.
• $20,000 in 2012 and $50,000 in 2013 for a permanent earthen berm for flood control along Birch Avenue.
• $50,000 for an environmental demonstration project at Town Hall, showcasing electricity generating solar panels on the roof, and a wall-mounted mast vertical axis wind turbine.
• $100,000 to develop and install a columbaria, ossuary and memorial wall near the Banff cemetery.
• $300,000 to complete the Legacy Trail from Vermilion Lakes Drive to the existing trail just south of the Norquay railway track. The project is to be carried out in conjunction with a similar Parks Canada project in the area.
• $60,000 for a crosswalk at the end of the Legacy Trail at the east entrance to town. However, the Town is working with the Inns of Banff property (which is planning a major redevelopment of the hotel in 2012) to possibly provide a secondary route for the trail through the property.
• $40,000 to enhance landscaping outside the public library, and another $40,000 to replace the ramp, improve the stairs and lighting outside the entrance to the library.
• $20,000 for off-leash dog park.
• $115,220 for special events equipment used to host community events, as well as events hosted by Banff Lake Louise Tourism.
• $290,000 for expansion of the integrated traffic signal timings, currently used at the 100 and 200 block of Banff Avenue, to the rest of the townsite.
