The 35th Street road paving project in Battleford will be completed this year. (Supplied/Google Maps)

By Angela Brown

In the chambers

Town wants to keep to budget for 35th Street road paving project

May 6, 2020 | 1:18 PM

Battleford lawmakers are going as far as the allotted $243,000 budget will take for road paving plans for 35th Street W.

Council agreed for administration to tender the paving work for the project from Second Avenue W. of 35 Street W. up to 28th Street. Councillors will then determine if there are sufficient funds for further paving.

The paving project was approved at council’s prior meeting because the road is in poor condition.

Councillors initially hoped to have the work extend to 24th Street, toward the flats area, however administration indicated based on the town’s estimates, the $243,000 allocated for the project for the tender would likely only take the work to 28th Street.

“Council said they wanted to go as far as to 24th Street if they possibly can with this project,” Mayor Ames Leslie said. “Administration was just bringing it back, saying that the proposed cost to go all that way is significantly more than what the budgeted amount was.”

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Administration confirmed, based on the town’s estimates, to take the project to 24th Street could bring the total cost up to $300,000, or $400,000 after adding in engineering costs, contingency fees, and taxes.

The mayor said the town needed to have a discussion as to what the true direction of council was, so he believed council was clear in indicating they wanted to stay within budget.

The project will now go to tender.

Councillors also expressed concern about the the province’s COVID-19 restrictions and how it might impact the town’s revenue.

“With all that’s going on these last few months, we should probably stick to budget,” Coun. Shelley Boutin-Gervais said. “I think we need to get the tender out because our construction season is a short [one]. The sooner we get it out, the sooner it gets started and gets done.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW