The Northland Trailer Park is in what's expected to be the third and final year of water and sewer line replacement, but the city hasn't been saying whether it remains on budget. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo |
Northland budget question unanswered
Councillor wants to know whether project remains on budget three years into construction
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, July 31, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It was a simple request, yet the answer raised only more questions.
At the tail end of the city council meeting Monday night Coun. Niels Konge asked for an update on how various city construction projects are going this summer. Was there anything staff hadn't accounted for? Are the projects on budget?
"Our two main capital projects are Horton Crescent and ... Forrest Drive. They're on budget and on schedule," said Chris Greencorn, director of public works and engineering. A fibre optic line was hit on Forrest Drive causing a set back, but the contractor has to pay for repairs, he said.
So what of Northland?
"Northland is progressing and we expect to have water on in hopefully the October range depending on how the final few months of the contract rolls out. We don't foresee any huge snags in the rest of our projects for the remainder of the summer," Greencorn said, side-stepping whether it is on budget and on time.
Earlier this year, Yellowknifer sought to clarify whether the project to replace failing water and sewer lines in the neighbourhood estimated at $15.8 million remains on budget as it goes into what's expected to be the final year of construction. The city at the time said it was too soon to say.
Konge followed up - is it on budget?
"I think that's still to be determined," Mayor Mark Heyck responded. "I think there's still legal elements regarding the work that's ongoing as well as the construction season that remains, but we hope to have updates on that in the not too distant future."
In an e-mail after the meeting, he explained the "legal elements" remark.
He said he was referring to the city, Yellowknife Condo Corporation No. 8's lawyer and its board which are working on thing like "land title requirements for surveying of the roads within Northlands, facilitating surveying of the roads within Northlands and transfer of the roads to the city upon completion of the project."
In a separate e-mail, city spokesperson Nalini Naidoo said the project remains on schedule.
"Regarding the budget, the project is still under construction for the current season," she wrote.
"Once construction is complete the city will be in a better position to provide information on the final numbers."
But Konge wants answers sooner.
"I have little doubt that the contractor (RTL-Robinson Enterprises) is competent, that they know what it takes to get that job done," Konge told Yellowknifer. "It's whether or not we have a good design and whether we're over budget or not.
"If we are, why? What are the factors? I don't think they're difficult questions to answer."
He'd like council, and the public, to have answers before the election.
Asked what his sense of where things stand in terms of the budget, Konge said he has no idea.
"It's a contract that public dollars are paying for, so I do think we should be able to find out if it is on budget, if it's over budget or what's going on there," he said.
While the city has borrowed millions for the work, it is set to be repaid by residents of the neighbourhood once work is complete.
However, the city has to cover costs should the project go over budget according to a memorandum of understanding signed between the city and the condo corporation that runs the neighbourhood.
