Fancy Footwork

The amount of grant money for renovations and upgrades to the Activity Centre may double, if the Municipality of Jasper is successful in a new application for funds under the Canada – Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure program.

When municipal administrators studied the program guidelines before setting the five-year capital plan earlier this winter, they determined that any money granted to Jasper would be best spent on street upgrades. However, more recent parameters have convinced Municpal Manager George Krefting to apply for $3 million to go towards the Activity Centre renovations, complete with initiatives to reduce energy consumption.

Under the terms of the federal-provincial program, one-third of the project costs would have to be provided by the municipality, meaning that with $100,000 from reserves and a 20-year loan of $50,000, Jasper could contribute $1.5 million, making for a total project budget of $4.5 million. This would make it possible for the renovations to meet the community needs identified in the facility review process, as well as increase the capacity of the daycare centre and reduce energy consumption costs by as much as $100,000 per year.

If the application is successful, the $1.5 million Alberta Infrastructure grant, which had been earmarked for the Activity Centre, would instead be put towards road upgrading projects scheduled for 2007.

Provincial Progress

Consolidation of municpal offices could become a reality in the next year, according to an update on the Provincial building situation provided to council by George Krefting last Tuesday (August 1).

Krefting will be meeting with the regional manager for Alberta Infrastructure soon in order to discuss lease conditions for approximately 7,000 square feet in the building, located on the corner of Patricia Street and Hazel Avenue.

The province has now budgeted for the relocation of the court facilities, currently located on the top floor, to the main level. This project will begin in 2007 and continue through 2008 Krefting said.

Some renovation and construction would be required to accommodate the offices of several municipal departments, at an estimated cost of $500,000.

“Things are proceeding,” Krefting said. “Whether or not we can do the reno for $500,000  is the question.”

Based on the assumption of a nine-year occupancy of the space, and an annual lease payment of $66,500 to the province, Krefting has estimated the move into the provincial building would cost the municipality $122,056 per year for this period of time, significantly less than the estimated annual costs associated with building a new $5 million “town hall” facility.

Discussions are ongoing about the use of the courtroom for council meetings, Krefting added.

“The province is very interested in pursuing this, it’s just a question of co-existence between council and court officials,” he said.