Two grant applications and a call for donations to top up a grant-funded project were endorsed by Sechelt council at its July 21 meeting.
Sechelt is applying for a grant of $717,000 from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund for improvements to Inlet Avenue between Cowrie and Dolphin streets. The total project budget is $956.000. If the grant is awarded, Sechelt will fund the remainder from gas tax and capital reserves.
The project will focus on pedestrian safety, replacing the existing mismatched and uneven walkway with continuous sidewalks and adding traffic calming and street-side planters.
At the meeting, Sanath Bandara, manager of municipal construction and infrastructure renewal, said a decision on the application is anticipated in December. If approved, work could begin in early 2022.
A grant application is also being sent to the Island Coast Economic Trust (ICE-T) for $46,250 to design, build and install three pedestrian way finding signs in downtown locations. If approved, signs with maps directing pedestrians to features of interest would be erected in Acacia and Friendship parks and at the corner of Trail Avenue and Cowrie Street.
This application is being submitted to ICE-T’s Thrive program, which funds small-scale capital improvements that support community downtown renewal. These grants do not require a local government to contribute funding for the project.
In her report to council, communications manager Julie Rogers explained that “the maps on the signs will be shrink-wrapped onto the signs much like the art-wraps on hydro boxes. In this way the maps can be updated every few years as needed at very little cost,”
Council also approved moving forward with the Hackett Park outdoor stage project, with a larger budget to cover increased costs for building materials.
According to a staff report, the total cost for the project is now $308,000.
To cover the increase of about $55,000 over the approved budget, council agreed to seek $40,000 in corporate cash and in-kind donations for the project. Sechelt will adjust its contribution to $82,475 and the project has already been granted $185, 525 by the Community Culture and Recreation arm of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
Project contractor West Coast Log Homes – Dakota Ridge Builders offered to make a $10,000 donation to the project, and to seek additional donations from third parties. The Sunshine Coast Community Forest will provide an in-kind donation of $10,000.
