The City of Cranbrook will be able to continue their plans to upgrade the wastewater lagoons at the north end of the community starting in the spring of 2021, thanks to $7.3 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments.
$4.1 million will be coming from the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) - BC Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream (RNIS). $3.2 million in funds will be awarded by the province, while the City of Cranbrook will contribute a total of $822,066 to the project.
Earlier in July, the federal government announced the funding, with more funding being allocated to various projects across the Kootenays.
READ MORE: Cranbrook receives $4M in federal infrastructure funding
“This is a project that is important to the City’s wastewater system to complete. Without this funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of BC, it would have been very difficult for us to do,” said Mayor Lee Pratt. “We are very thankful for the funding and are very glad that we can proceed at this time and do the necessary repairs than need to be done.”
The wastewater project, called the Wastewater Lagoons and Influent Trunk Main Update, involves replacing all of the piping between and under the lagoons, and upgrading and installing a new trunk main that enters the lagoons from the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Highway 3. The slopes of the dykes in the lagoons will also need to be regraded, and the exterior of the dyke along Joseph Creek will also be armoured to help prevent erosion.
The design work for the project has already begun, says the City, and ISL Engineering and Land Services are undertaking the trunk main design, while McElhanney Ltd. is managing the design around the regrading and armouring components.
The City says they will be updating the public regularly once the project is underway.
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.