INNISFAIL – Just over five acres of land is being leased for 99 years by the Town of Innisfail to the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission for the construction and operation of an emergency surge pond.
While the lease agreement stipulates the wastewater commission (SRDRWC) will pay only $1 a year for each of the 99 years, the town will also be compensated in the amount of $94,500.
“We've talked to them over the last several years about our projects to remediate that lagoon,” said Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, of the site for the planned project on former lagoon lands in the southwest part of town. “The town felt that some of the remediation project has benefited that surge plan development, and then they have decided to reimburse the town back some dollars due to the work that we've already completed on their benefit.”
The proposed lease agreement for the wastewater commission’s planned emergency surge pond was presented to town council at its regular meeting on July 25 by Steven Kennedy, the town’s director of operational services.
The proposed lease agreement was unanimously approved by council.
Kennedy told council the town has been working with the SRDRWC over the past year to finalize the size and location of the pond that will be constructed within former lagoon lands in the southwest corner of town between 60th and 61st avenues.
His report said the approximate area of the planned facility is 5.04 acres.
The agreement reached between the town and the SRDRWC is that $18,750 per acre, for a total of $94,500, will be paid to the town once the agreement is in place.
Council was told the pond’s precise location will be to the south of the existing lift station. Kennedy said it will only be used for storage during high intensity rainfall events, major line breakage/repair, or issues at the City of Red Deer facility.
The agreement also stipulates that within three days after an event, the surge pond facility is to be emptied and cleaned.
Kennedy said pond design details are still to be provided by the SRDRWC, with construction planned for the fall 2022.
