By Mark Squibb/November 11, 2021
Residents of Jackman Drive will be glad to hear their street will be getting an upgrade.
Back in November of 2020, the council approved an application for funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program, a cost sharing program in which federal, provincial, and municipal governments chip in money to complete public works projects.
The money will cover water, storm, sanitary, asphalt, curb and sidewalk replacement on Jackman, said councilor Mark Rice, who quoted the work at $4.5 million.
Council received notification of funding approval on August 28. The terms were that the federal government would cover 40 percent of the cost, with the remainder split evenly between the province and the city.
Mayor Dave Aker said the City had intended to repave most of Jackman Drive and Olympic Drive, and that council was thankful for the federal and provincial contributions.
Councillor Jim Locke pointed out the approval in this case is just for Jackman Drive, “in case any of the residents on Olympic Drive may have misheard, so I just want clarity on that.” Locke noted there was a separate funding application submitted for Olympic Drive, which has not yet been approved.
Aker agreed that is the case and asked Director of Infrastructure and Public Works Gerard Antle for further clarification.
The director said Locke was correct, but upgrades to Olympic Drive are under consideration. The City’s funding request for Olympic Drive, which was submitted last year at the same time as the one for Jackman, is valued at $5.1 million.
The third application the City submitted last year, under the Community, Culture and Recreation Program, is for a new Community Centre at Team Gushue Recreation Complex valued at $5 million.
