Following the drowning of a 13-year-old boy last year, city councillors have backed a Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA) plan to improve access to the Junction Creek Culvert System at 199 Larch Street on city owned land.
Since 1921, 23 people, mostly children, have drowned in Junction Creek. On August 25, 2007 Adam Dickie drowned in the creek in the Louis Street area off Notre Dame Avenue.
Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann said having better access to the box culvert system could help to prevent tragedies by allowing emergency personnel the ability to intercept and rescue victims carried downstream by the current.
Junction Creek runs under the city in a box culvert that provides storm water management through the downtown core during spring runoff periods.
At July's council meeting, there was agreement to lend NDCA $121,000 as part of a proposal to improve access to the box culvert structure for emergency and maintenance purposes.
Some parts of the 1,755 metre box culvert are 60 years old.
The total cost for improving access is $597,645. NDCA had most of the money in place, but has a shortfall of $121,000. Confirmed money so far is from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), NDCA 2008 capital allocations and NDCA reserves.
Bob Rogers, chair of the Nickel District Conservation Authority, made a presentation to city council requesting a one-time capital loan to cover the increased cost of the project. If further funding sources from the province are located, city coffers could be reimbursed, said Rogers.
In 2004, a technical inspection report done for NDCA recommended a structural access point be constructed into the box culvert over Junction Creek in the downtown area.
The conservation authority attempted the project in in 2004-2005 but tenders dramatically exceeded estimate and available funding, said Rogers.
However, the project is back on the books because this year the city has decided to proceed with the Larch Street bridge replacement which is near where the proposed access point would be.
Inspections by city staff have confirmed all city bridges need repair work. The city started the work in 2006 by rehabilitating the College Street and Elgin Street Bridges.
By doing both Larch Street projects at the same time, the city may get be able to save money by doing things such as buying materials in bulk, said the NDCA report to council.
NDCA has already received $204,000 from the MNR for the access structure. If this funding is not used in 2008, it has to returned.
