Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley
Greater Sudbury has a list of approximately $180 million of "shovel ready" projects ready for federal funding.
The projects have to be completed within the next two years and fit most of the criteria in the federal budget and economic stimulus plan, said Lorella Hayes, city chief financial officer at city council Wednesday.
Roads, bridges and storm sewer projects dominate the list, with a price tag of $60.3 million, said budget chief Coun. Ted Callaghan.
The next priority is $23.7 million for water and wastewater projects. Arena renewal comes third at $17.8 million while there is $11.5 million in community recreation projects.
"People should realize this is a 75 per cent opportunity we are proposing for roadwork and other infrastructure development like water and wastewater. The other 25 per cent is for softer community needs like playgrounds and social housing," said Callaghan.
The projects include:
-an expanded roads surfacing program, called Shave and Pave,
providing a significant stimulus to deteriorating arterial and
collector road system
-enhanced roads rehabilitation such as MR15 between Val Caron
and Chelmsford
-four bridges which have been posted for reduced loads
including Balsam, Kalmo, Spanish River and Moose Mountain Mine
Road
-work on the Wahnapitae Water Treatment Plant
-Nephawin Storm Sewer Treatment project to treat stormwater
before discharging into the lake
-development of additional play fields
-arena and municipal pool renewal
-construction of of supportive housing
-energy audits for municipal facilities
The federal government expects the projects to stimulate economic development and relate to budget themes. These are rehabilitation, green infrastructure, social housing and community recreational infrastructure.
Ward 10 Coun. Frances Caldarelli tried to propose a the extension of sewer and water services to the south shore of Ramsey Lake.
"At a cost of $57,000 per house just up to their lot line, this is not affordable for residents," she said. "Why not apply for some green infrastructure funding?"
Extending the service might also help deal with the blue-green algae blooms that have been plaguing the shoreline last fall, she argued.
"I know some of the septic systems are leaking."
However, acting chief administrative officer Doug Nadorozny, said this project was not shovel ready.
"We expect the federal government will be tough on this matter of how shovel ready any project to qualify. We did not think this one was," said Nadorozny.
"I am concerned this project is not shovel ready. We have been talking about it for 15 years," retorted Caldarelli.
