BONNYVILLE – A two-year plan to connect the 66 St. Trail from the dog park to the gravel road on 55 St. is expected to be done a year ahead of schedule with some extra funding from the Town of Bonnyville.
During a special council meeting on Wednesday, Town of Bonnyville councillors heard that by proceeding with Phase C, the final phase of 66 St. Trail North this fall, the municipality would save approximately $42,476 on the overall project.
Phase C, of the three-phase project was originally set to be completed in 2022 for a total cost of $600,000.
However, due to a drier summer and lower water levels in Jessie Lake, conditions are currently favourable to complete the construction on the trail this year, said Brad Trimble, the general manager of operations and engineering for the Town of Bonnyville.
He added there is the potential that the cost of the project could rise by next spring if the environmental conditions change.
The price to complete the final phase by Oct. 31 of this year came in at $749,324, which is over the initial budget set aside for the project to be completed in 2022.
“If we go over budget by $172,000 this year, we don't have to pay an additional $600,000 in next year's capital budget,” Trimble told council, adding that the remaining balance could be funded from the general capital reserve.
Following several questions, council unanimously agreed to fund Phase C and gave the green light to E-Construction to begin work on the final leg of the 66 St. Trail.
According to Trimble, the trail will be approximately a foot higher than the high watermark. The construction costs will include moving the berm toward the lake to protect the trail when the water levels rise. The berm will be moved as far north as possible without disrupting the riparian area around Jessie Lake.
A chain link fence between the trail and the rodeo grounds will be installed, as well as pedestrian crossings and solar powered crossing lights on Gurneyville RD, added Trimble.
The original budget for the 66 St. Trail’s three phases were $1.68 million, however, the first two phases of the project came in under budget by 64 per cent. The total price tag for Phases A and B was $480,200.
Even with the increased cost associated with completing Phase C this autumn and a financial contingency buffer, the overall project is anticipated to come in under budget. The total cost for the three phases will be nearly $1.26 million.
Although Coun. Elisa Brosseau supported moving forward with the project this year she questioned the feasibility of tackling an completing the project before the start of winter.
“It's actually quite an aggressive timeline so I hope that they're confident they can get it done by the end of October,” she said.
Coun. Ray Prevost added, “I think going ahead with this would make budgeting a little easier in 2022.”
While construction gets under way on the latest portion of the 66 St. Trail North, Town CAO Bill Rogers assured councillors that crews are continuing to repair troubled spots along the existing trail, but overall, majority of the path is acceptable for pedestrian use.
