Gibsons Council is putting off a decision on whether to require homes in Parkland Phase 3 to connect to the District Energy Utility until a report on issues with the Town-owned geothermal system comes forward April 18.
People who bought into the first two phases of the subdivision off Park Road in Upper Gibsons were required by covenant to hook into the utility. Several lost heat altogether or had to switch to costly electric back-up systems when a leak in pipes that feed into the geothermal fields forced the Town to shut down its pumps during a winter cold snap.
Director of engineering Dave Newman recommended at the April 4 council meeting that Parkland Phase 3 be excluded and that a planned expansion of the system be put on hold. Newman’s report to council said the problems over the winter “exposed several weaknesses and challenges with the system … There are several operational issues that need to be addressed, which will take time to complete, as well as a reassessment of the system after the pending improvements are completed.”
The Town has brought in Daniel Booy of Vancouver Island-based Altum Engineering as a consultant to lead the review.
Several councillors said they wanted to see what recommendations come out of the review before putting an expansion on hold.
According to Newman’s report, 53 houses are connected to the system, with an estimated capacity of 54. The first two phases of Parkland could include 58 units when building is done, and work is underway to make sure the system can accommodate all of them.
Coun. Stafford Lumley drew applause from the 20 or so Parkland residents in the public gallery when he said, “If I lived in Parkland and the Town said, ‘you know what; there’s no way we’re putting in another geothermal field,’ my confidence as a resident of Parkland in the existing geothermal field would be shot.”
Newman said the April 18 report may not have all the answers councillors and residents are looking for, but it will lay out a strategy. “Our work will be cut out for us for 2017 to review, assess and complete improvements all before the 2017-2018 winter season. On April 18 we’re not going to have a bunch of answers.”
Coun. Charlene SanJenko said even without all the answers, she’d like to wait to see the next report. “I would be a lot more comfortable to make a decision after that.”
During a budget meeting earlier in the day, Newman told council the engineering department would be looking to have around $170,000 set aside for improvements and remediation work for the existing system, including a gas-fired heating system to warm the fluid if needed. The Town is also prepared to borrow $125,000 for a new field to serve Phase 3.
Director of finance Ian Poole estimates billings from the utility will come in at just over $30,000 in 2017, an increase of $7,000 from 2016, because more homes were added to the subdivision’s earlier phases.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
