By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

City eyes federal dollars for Dawe Centre expansion, other projects

Jul 25, 2018 | 12:32 PM

The City of Red Deer is looking at obtaining federal funding for four major infrastructure projects.

During a special meeting on Wednesday, city council gave its blessing for City staff to prepare expressions of interest for each one – something which needs to be done by August 1.

Partial funding is being provided to projects through the Investing in Canada grant program, which was announced in 2016. The grant will give Canadian communities $3.39 billion over 10 years (2018-2028) for items in four streams – public transit, green infrastructure, recreational or cultural community infrastructure, and for rural and northern communities.

The four projects include:

1) G.H. Dawe Centre expansion – modernization of existing ice surface, additional arena with second floor seating, more change rooms, access and parking on south side of 67 Street, flexible programming space on second floor, new spray park on NW side

project will take one year

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Project budget: $35,000,000

2) CPR Bridge and trails – repair of concrete piers and abutments, replacement of bridge bearing, bracing and worn timber piles, repairs to gurders, repair of deck, upgrade handrails and lighting, upgrade pedestrian railing to cyclist standards, upgrade lighting, electrical and bridge deck

Project budget: $9,127,000

3) College Park servicing – design and construction of sanitary, storm and water systems for the community, as well as road structure replacement. The community will have input to the degree of improvements – there are three design options, the most extensive being an upgrade to a local roadway standard with underground storm, sanitary and water.

Project budget: $5,420,000

4) Wetlands (north of 11A) restoration and enhancement – Utilizing a new framework of compensation for disturbance of natural areas, the design and construction of environmental ecosystems in support of required drainage facilities north of Hwy 11A between Hazlett Lake and Red Deer River to the east.

Project budget: $11,900,000

If successful in receiving grant money, the Government of Canada could provide up to 40 per cent of a project’s cost, if the Alberta government agrees to pay a third of the costs with the municipality picking up the remaining 27 per cent.

Projects must be completed by October 31, 2027.

Each of the projects listed are part of The City’s council-approved Capital Plan.

If any of Red Deer’s submissions make it past the expression of interest phase, The City will need to prepare a full application for each one.