Penhold town council voted to spend $383,000 on storm water upgrades to try and address flooding issues during its Aug. 27 meeting.
“This is not a budgeted item,” noted Chief Administrative Officer Rick Binnendyk. The report to council recommended using $117,813 in 2013 federal gas tax funding and take the rest from reserves or borrow it.
The recommended upgrades were part of suggestions contained in a storm water management study presented to council earlier this year.
Binnendyk said they just wanted to proceed with Phase 1 for now, which is looking at installing a large pipe between Mann Drive and Jesse Duncan School. Mayor Dennis Cooper said an open ditch is going to be excavated and a large pipe installed that will go straight into the storm water vault.
“We're going to be able to drain water 50 per cent faster,” Cooper said in an interview after the meeting. This upgrade is to address flooding problems at Lee Street and Robinson Avenue, for an estimated cost of $312,000, according to the report given to council
The other part of this project would be to spend $71,000 on putting in a bigger pipe for the Lincoln Street and Dundee Crescent intersection.
Cooper explained a bigger pipe would be put in to stop the lifts from cutting out.
The pipe would be monitored to see if Phase 2 needs to proceed later. The total estimated cost for all the projects suggested in the storm water management study is over $1 million.
“We've had several severe rain events in the past few years,” Binnendyk said. Council heard that the upgrades wouldn't entirely eliminate the ponding problem, but would decrease the issue.
“It's going to double the capacity … it's going to be a huge help,” Binnendyk said.
Coun. Heather Klein asked administration to make sure the other projects are included in future budget plans.
Cooper suggested talking to Minister of Transportation Ric McIver about the province helping with some of the upgrades.
Council voted to ask for an appointment with the minister. They also passed a motion to give administration the green light to proceed with Phase 1 of the project.
