By Mark Squibb
The City of Mount Pearl has applied for $6.4 million in Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) money to complete upgrades on Greenwood Crescent.
The CHIF is a pot of federal money given to provinces to distribute as they see fit.
Mayor Dave Aker asked why staff had recommended applying for funding for Greenwood and not the unfinished half of Jackman Drive. The upgrade to Jackman Drive had been quoted at $4.5 million, with contributions from both provincial and federal government, and had been split into two halves.
“We didn’t have the purchasing power to complete Jackman within that particular budget year, and I’m just trying to get a sense where Greenwood came from,” said Aker. “Why aren’t we finishing Jackman and moving to Barbour?”
Chief Administrative Officer Cassie Rideout said Jackman Drive had been funded by the federal government through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ISIP), and that you couldn’t “stack” a project with both ISIP and CHIF funding. Rideout added that council should expect to see a tender recommendation for completion of Jackman Drive upgrades in the near future.
As for Barbour Drive, Rideout said, the funding was more suitable to Greenwood than Barbour as Barbour is not “capacity building.” Projects funded by CHIF, explained Rideout, must directly increase residential capacity.
Council has also submitted a CHIF funding application for upgrades to Holden Street and will likely submit an application for upgrades to the regional water line.
The upgrades to Greenwood Crescent will incorporate accessibility features such as ramps and tactile indicators.
Planning Director Scott Batt noted that all upgrade projects will be designed with accessibility in mind.
The motion was approved unanimously.