SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
Bassano council has agreed to commit multiple years of funding for their road project.
The ultimate project will see the town replace and/or repair deep infrastructure and new pavement.
The town wants to start at the water plant and work their way through the community.
CAO Amanda Davis proposed to council that the “multi-year” program will be funded with 100 per cent of the town’s Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) capital, Canada-Community Building Fund (CCBF) , bulk water revenue as well as the previously collected funds, of about $10 million that have been set aside.
In 2024 the town’s LGFF allocation was $338,248, in 2025 it was $385,143 and the estimation for 2026 is $384,842. The 2025 CCBF allocation was $123,856 and it was $120,841 in 2024.
“It’s a full project that ranges between $18 and $21 million because it depends on how much we end up actually getting for LGFF,” she said.
The $10 million that has been set aside is for the first phase of the project which is the underground utilities (deep infrastructure).
“We need at least two years of underground works before you would even be discussing surface works anyway and during that time depending on what we actually have to dig up and disrupt, the next council can decide whether or they not they want to do a debenture for paving roads.
“If we start ripping up the road and trying to pave at the same time, you never actually get a consistent project moving forward because you bring in and mobilize two completely different construction crews to do small project segments.
“By following the methodology I’ve proposed (co-design where all actively participate) we actually get a large consistent development project done,” she said.
Davis anticipates release of the Request for Tender (RFP) this summer with a recommendation returned to council in September.
Mayor Irv Morey and councillor Mike Wetzstein will join Davis and Lonnie Raymond, public works supervisor, on the RFP review committee.
Morey said they will be responsible to approve a company to do the work and the engineering.