A new park in west Orillia, some major road projects, extensive repairs to several municipal buildings and a host of other initiatives were among just over $30-million worth of capital projects approved by city councillors this week.
Late Tuesday, city councillors capped off five days of budget deliberations, spread out over two weeks, by passing its capital budget.
Councillors entered the two-day capital budget process looking to fund 75 projects of various shapes and sizes that were recommended by the senior management team and another 15 that were deemed important but left to council’s discretion.
Many of the big-ticket items will be paid for out of reserves set up for that purpose; because of that, the cost of those projects will not impact this year’s tax levy.
Council also had at its disposal $1,950,000 in its capital levy. Any projects funded through that levy, that exceeded that amount, would escalate the tax rate. In the end, council spent $92,000 less than that amount on projects funded from the capital levy.
All decisions are not official until the budget is ratified at a special meeting of council Feb. 4.
A complete list of all 80-plus projects approved can be found at the bottom of this article.
But let’s look at some of the big-ticket projects approved.
Councillors approved $1.1 million ($550,000 will come from the tax rate stabilization reserve and $550,000 will come from the capital contingency reserve) to replace the roof on the north wing of the Orillia City Centre, along with the sprinkler system. The north wing was last repaired in 2006.
Council also earmarked $200,000 for structural repairs at the City Centre.
A $621,000 request to repair the roof and upgrade lighting at the Municipal Operations Centre on James Street was also approved. That will be funded from the Municipal Operations Centre reserve,
West Ridge Boulevard from Bass Lake Sideroad to Hunter Valley Road will be widened to five lanes at a cost of $2.7 million; money for this project comes from four different reserve funds.
The largest capital project in 2019 will be the $6.5-million reconstruction of Front Street from Queen Street East to Colborne Street East. This is the first of a two-phase project.
According to the budget document, this “project will address the deteriorated condition of the Front Street road service and provide improvements to existing servicing infrastructure.”
In addition, the city is investing in another arterial road. Council OK’d $750,000 to complete a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment and a detailed design for the proposed widening and reconstruction of Laclie Street from Neywash Street to Murray Street.
The city will also be spending a lot of money to pave the way for the opening of new industrial lands. Council voted to spend $3.56 million in new infrastructure to service the Inch Development Area and adjacent lands.
Those adjacent lands include the city-owned industrial park, Smart Centres and the Murphy Road lands.
The city is also getting a new park in 2019. Council earmarked $2.9 million for a new 8.3-acre park on Stone Ridge Boulevard in west Orillia. Money for this project comes from two sources: Development charges reserve ($2.349 million) and the purchase of parkland reserve ($551,000)
On the advice of the senior management team, council also agreed to fund several initiatives aimed at improving the city’s fleet.
Kyle Mitchell, manager of source protection and operations, said in recent years as council put a lot of emphasis on major capital projects, little attention was paid to vehicles and equipment in multiple city departments.
“We are playing a bit of catch-up,” said Mitchell, noting staff had “been holding back” requesting more funding.
Council agreed to spend almost $1.5 million replacing two snow plows, an electric ice resurfacer, a Caterpillar loader, a front-end loader and a garbage packer.
On top of that, the Orillia Fire Department is getting a new pumper truck. The new $650,000 vehicle will replace the old truck, purchased in 2004.
Council set aside $1.1 million to replace the Fittons Road East sewage pumping station, built in 1969, with a new submersible pumping station.
Roads and Sidewalks
The city’s annual road resurfacing project comes with a $718,000 price tag. Included:
- Collegiate Drive from Park Street to Belmoral Drive ($60,000);
- Lankin Boulevard from Carey Lane to Victoria Crescent ($105,000);
- Carey Lane from Lankin Boulevard to Shannon Street ($30,000);
- Broadview Avenue from Dale Drive to end ($258,000);
- Grenville Avenue from Westmount Drive South to Lakeview Avenue ($58,000);
- Harmon Road from Fittons Road E. to Highland Avenue ($134,000) and
- Skyline Drive from Ward Avenue to Lawson Avenue ($73,000)
Council also gave the green light to $410,000 in sidewalk projects:
- Harvey Street from Westmount Drive to Emily Street - north side ($182,000);
- Harvey Street from Westmount Drive to McKenzie Street - south side ($70,000); and
- Gill Street from James Street East to Front Street South ($158,000).
These projects didn't get approved
Among the capital projects proposed, only eight were not approved. So, what didn’t make the cut:
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$190,000 to equip 12 buses and the OWLS bus with automated fare collection systems;
- $40,000 to remove an old abandoned bridge to the waste diversion site;
- $19,000 to install a sound masking system at the Orillia Public Library in open areas and study rooms;
- $10,000 for a cafe/snack cart at the Orillia Public Library;
- $75,000 for a design plan for Foundry Park, the naturalized area around the Orillia Recreation Centre;
- $12,000 to replace siding and sidewalk at administration building at Tudhope Park;
- $160,000 (from park equipment reserve) to replace playground equipment at Victoria Park;
- $25,000 for an interpretive piece related to the Champlain Monument
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A complete list of projects approved through the capital budget process:
- Municipal service and organizational review – $85,000
- Secondary gateway signage – $150,000
- City Centre roof replacement and deck repair design fees – North Wing (Phase 1) – $1,100,000
- Municipal Operations Centre roof repairs and lighting upgrades – $621,000
- 70 Front Street North – Roof membrane replacement – $600,000
- Municipal Operations Centre – Carbon Monoxide detection system replacement – $10,000
- 2 Hunter Valley Road HVAC Replacement – $30,000
- Library – Exterior HVAC – ductwork insulation replacement – $337,000
- City Centre structural repairs – $200,000
- Library – Electrical Room climate control – $18,000
- City Centre brick restoration – $75,000
- City Centre – carpet/flooring replacement – $20,000
- Library – stair and bike rack repair – $28,000
- Pay equity plans – $75,000
- West Ridge Boulevard widening – Bass Lake Sideroad East to Hunter Valley Road – $2,700,000
- Reconstruction of Front Street South – Queen Street East to Colborne Street East – $6,500,000
- Annual road resurfacing program – $718,000
- Sidewalk program – $410,000
- Road Inventory Management System updates – $35,000
- Signal pre–emption system – Atherley Road and Forest Avenue – $14,000
- Audible pedestrian signals – Colborne Street East at Peter Street South and Mississaga Street East at Peter Street South – $42,000
- Traffic monitoring equipment update – $15,000
- Inch Farm industrial lands servicing – $3,562,000
- Waterfront/BIA traffic and parking study – $70,000
- Municipal parking lot garden renovations and refresh – $35,000
- Transit terminal study – $60,000
- New transit shelter program – $54,000
- Housing strategy – $50,000
- Sale and promotion of 70 Front Street North – $80,000
- 255 West Street South – On/off-site monitoring and maintenance – $30,000
- Waste Diversion Site capping Phase 1 – $50,000
- Traffic controller upgrade program – $180,000
- Pavement markings – $30,000
- Kitchener Park Action Plan – Phase 2 – Construction – $530,000
- Sidewalk spot repair program – $50,000
- Annual road spot repair program – $160,000
- Retro–Reflectometer – $43,000
- Waste diversion site closure – post closure reporting – $25,000
- 70 Front Street North – Ongoing environmental monitoring program – $30,000
- Permit to take Water Renewal – groundwater supply wells – $35,000
- Wastewater treatment facilities and equipment rehabilitation – $280,000
- Water facilities and equipment rehabilitation – $165,000
- Collection/distribution system rehabilitation program – $250,000
- Harvie Hill water standpipe repairs and painting – $440,000
- Well 1 and Well 2 refurbishment – $75,000
- Water treatment control system rehabilitation – $130,000
- Wastewater treatment centre control system rehabilitation – $260,000
- Monitoring well decommissioning – $20,000
- Sewage pumping station rehabilitation – Fittons Road East – $1,100,000
- Zone 3 Booster Pumping Station – Phase 2 Expansion – $110,000
- Stormwater rehabilitation program – $235,000
- Fleet replacement – $1,489,000
- Fleet additions – $75,000
- Fleet equipment scan tool – $20,000
- Communication system enhancement – $70,000
- Pumper fire apparatus – $650,000
- Telephone system replacement – $15,000
- Barnfield Point Recreation Centre sewage system replacement – $40,000
- Opera House roof replacement – $200,000
- Brian Orser lighting upgrades – $50,000
- Leacock Boathouse railing/decking – $15,000
- Leacock Museum Master Plan – $70,000
- Waterfront Parkland Design Plan – $75,000
- Rotary Place HVAC equipment retrofit – $100,000
- J.B. Tudhope Memorial Park Improvements – $300,000
- Kitchener Park ball diamond repair – $33,000
- Multi–use Trail (Stone Ridge Boulevard to TransCanada Pipeline) – $24,000
- Special Event waste diversion stations – $26,000
- Rotary Aqua Theatre– $225,000
- Ontario Winter Games – $20,000
- Barnfield Point Recreation Centre furniture – $10,000
- West Orillia Sports Complex concrete and asphalt repair – $30,000
- Evacuation Centre generator – Orillia Recreation Centre – $400,000
- Dock lighting and safety ladders – Port of Orillia – $35,000
- Library – stair and bike rack repair – $2,000
- Council Chambers – AV upgrades and refurbishment – Design – $40,000
- Smart City Iinitiatives – Phase 2 – $90,000
- Orchard Point traffic study – $55,000
- Solid waste collection contract – Review and Procurement – $45,000
- Responsive website upgrade (library) – $27,000
- West Orillia Park construction – $2,900,000
- Brant Street Park improvements – $50,000
- Centennial Park Skate Trail – $60,000
- J.B. Tudhope Memorial Park Disc Golf Course – $30,000
