INNISFAIL -- The town is taking a long-awaited multi-million-dollar first step to clean up and modernize the neglected West Gate Industrial Park.
The leap forward into the future will feature a $3-million infrastructure project hailed by the park's Innisfail Business Association as a long overdue initiative that will boost the fortunes of current and future business owners.
"It is a huge step for us in the right direction, to get some development down here and get some high grade roads to alleviate the mud and the crap that we deal with whenever it rains or snows," said Ron Bristow, president of the 25-member association. "It's going to be a boon for traffic in the area for sure and for future development of the other industrial areas that are going to be developed as well."
Bristow's optimism followed town council's decision on Feb. 11 to move forward with the $3-million infrastructure project to develop modern asphalt roads on the now gravel-surfaced 37th Street and 61st Avenue, which have frustrated park business owners for years as being substandard and eyesores.
"It's nothing but a muddy mess when people try to travel down here. Let's get it cleaned up," said Coun. Glen Carritt, a business owner at the 30-year-old industrial park.
Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer, said the project is not only critically important for existing businesses but also for attracting new business into the area as the town develops the lagoon site, an area immediately south of the industrial park and being developed through a multi-million-dollar reclamation project.
"We are hearing that the current condition of the industrial park is creating limitations for the existing businesses," said Becker.
Council approved an administration recommendation to begin funding the $3-million project by reallocating about $1 million of previously approved provincial and federal infrastructure grant dollars to the proposed asphalt road development.
Rod Fraser, director of operational services, noted the project's engineering and design phase was approved by council in the 2019 budget. His report to council estimated its cost to be just under $250,000. Fraser said once the project's remaining $2-million cost is secured, either through new grants or cost recovery options, construction can begin. Council was told the tentative start date is in 2020.
"It's very likely that one of those options will include a portion of adjacent landowner contributions to pay for part of the construction," said Fraser, adding that option could see an amortization plan for business owners over 10 and even 20 years. Fraser said council will be presented funding option strategies during the coming fall's 2020 budget process.
Industrial park business owners, who claimed a huge victory last year when the town was forced to back off from a contentious new landscaping bylaw, say they will continue to work with administration and council to ensure the road development plan moves productively forward and is cost effective for the entire community.
"The tack our association is taking now is to work with the town instead of butting heads over projects all the time. They (town) have been receptive and actually we are meeting with them on March 7," said Bristow, adding his group has already made suggestions for the park's new asphalt roads that will save the taxpayers money. "They don't need curbs. They don't need all the bells and whistles.
"You go to a lot of other industrial parks and they don't have that," he added. "It is just getting the surface done and getting rid of the mud here, and (getting) a really good asphalt road that is designed for the heavy traffic that is in this area."
Meanwhile, as the infrastructure project weaves its way through the design and funding process, business owners will also continue to work on and lobby the town for improved security, another longstanding and contentious issue that includes the need for modern lighting throughout the industrial park.
"We need to really look at security. We are working with the RCMP to reduce the crime by having on-site security. Crime is virtually knocked to zero," said Carritt, noting that while the association has hired a private security firm to deal with problematic property crime it would still like to see more support.
As for improved lighting in the park, both Bristow and Carritt said the association has left that issue with the town to deal with through its ongoing discussions with FortisAlberta.
