Paradise once again applying for forcemain funding
By Mark Squibb
The Town of Paradise is once again applying for funding for a new forcemain on St. Thomas Line after its initial application was rejected.
“It was very disappointing to see that our initial application was denied based on other priority applications taking the funding,” said councillor Erin Furlong. “I am happy to see that we have another chance at this and hopefully all of staff’s hard work will pay off and we’ll get the funding that we need.”
Staff have since broken the projects into phases in a bid to more easily secure the funding. An application to the federal Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) was revised and limited to phase one, which includes the design, procurement, and construction activity required to install approximately 1.75 kilometres of new forcemain along St. Thomas Line. Road upgrades, including storm sewers, road resurfacing, and sidewalks will be completed at another time. Phase 1 is estimated to cost about $6.9 million. Other funding sources will be required for completion of further phases, and multiple phases could run concurrently if funding is secured.
Furlong noted that breaking the project into phases is not ideal, but necessary.
“It should be noted that this phase of work, while meeting the CHIF funding requirements and expected value, it does not match the ideal approach outlined in the recent forcemain twinning report,” said Furlong. “To complete the project as recommended in the study, it would either fall within the expected value of the funding, but not meet the qualification requirements, or it would meet the requirements, but the cost would be well over what we expected to get in funding.”
Councillor Glen Carew voiced his support for the project noting the town has a new lift station above ground but old pipes below ground.
“We told a lot of residents that when the forcemain is twinned, that the road would be resurfaced because it’s not in such great shape,” said Carew. “So, I’m hoping we have the ability to either find funding or we can go it alone and do a meaningful road resurfacing.”