It may not be a bridge yet, but approval of funds to put in abutments for two pedestrian bridges along Cougar Creek means they are a step closer to becoming a reality.
Council unanimously approved a motion Tuesday (March 11) to increase its contribution to the short-term mitigation project on Cougar Creek to construct pedestrian bridge abutments for $150,000.
Manager of engineering Andy Esarte explained that by putting the abutments in now during work along the channel and the banks the municipality will save time and money in the long run.
Because the municipality is installing articulated concrete mats along the banks, to remove them at a later date to place in abutments for bridges would be difficult.
“You can see that the foundations go in behind the mats,” Esarte said. “In order to install them after the mats are in place, we would have to go in and decouple the mats.
“It is not as simple as removing the mats and putting them aside; they get damaged as you place them multiple times.”
The $150,000 for bridge infrastructure would come from the general capital reserve and would provide for replacing the pedestrian bridge that was removed as a result of damage during the June flood last year and a new bridge near the bottom of the stream before the Trans-Canada Highway.
“It looks like a pretty simple ask to do the work now to save the money,” said Mayor John Borrowman. “It is nice to see administration anticipating future wrinkles and taking care of business instead of coming back and saying ‘oops.’ Good catch.”
At the same time, council was asked to pass a motion to decrease its contribution to the Mountain Creek Hazard Mitigation Program by half, or $300,000, to reflect provincial contributions through the Flood Recovery Erosion Control Program. The savings would go back into general capital reserves.
