Post by Max on Aug 9, 2007 14:39:51 GMT -3
www.northernlife.ca/News/LocalNews/2007/08-10-07-ConservationFunding.asp?NLStory=08-10-07-ConservationFunding
Date Published | Aug. 9, 2007
BY TRACEY DUGUAY
Last week’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis highlighted the need for cities to pay attention to their infrastructure, and Greater Sudbury is no exception, council was told Wednesday night.
The state of the city’s dams and a major downtown box culvert was a topic of discussion at a city council meeting, following a presentation by Bob Rodgers, chair of the Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA) board of directors.
Rodgers appealed to council for a stable source of capital funding to be built into the budget in order for the NDCA to be able to plan and carry out major projects without having to ask for the money on an ad hoc basis.
Currently, the city approves an annual operating budget for NDCA but capital funding projects are dealt with on an individual basis. The province used to provide capital funding for conservation authorities but stopped doing so in 1996.
Since 2001, the NDCA has gone before council and received amounts ranging from $125,000 to $250,000 to undertake major projects. An amount of $125,000 for one-time funding was approved in the 2007 city budget.
However, NDCA is now asking council to approve an additional $125,000 as permanent funding for 2008 onwards. In other words, if approved, the city would provide $250,000 in capital funding annually to the NDCA, with the suggestion the money come from the Community Projects Support envelope.
“We’re asking for a little bit of certainty,” said Rodgers.
The NCDA is mandated under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario to manage all aspects of watershed planning for the areas that fall within its jurisdiction. This work is done in co-operation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the City of Greater Sudbury.
Maintaining dams and culverts associated with the watershed falls under its area of responsibility. Watershed problems can develop due to flooding and erosion and climate change, with its associated severe storm events, is adding extra pressure to municipal infrastructures.
The NDCA is currently working on maintenance projects on the Maley, Nickeldale and Lake Laurentian dams, as well as 1,755 metres of box culvert located underneath downtown streets. It also has to maintain and upgrade the 950-hectres Lake Laurentian Conservation Area.
Rodgers’ presentation was well received by members of council, many of whom sit or have sat on the board of directors for the NDCA.
“I’m impressed with the small staff, small office and small budget [of the NDCA],” said Ward 1 Councillor Joe Cimino, who is also a current member of the conservation authority’s board. “They’re just asking for consistency in a base budget for continuity of planning.”
Former board member and Ward 10 Councillor Fran Caldarelli said the bridge collapse in the United States is a perfect example of why municipalities need to be proactive when it comes to maintaining, repairing and upgrading bridges, roads, culverts or dams.
“We need to seriously look at maintaining our infrastructure,” Caldarelli Rodgers reinforced Caldarelli’s comments to council with a dire warning of what could happen if it doesn’t invest in this type of work.
“If one of our dams lets go, you’re going to feel it in this building,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know what is going to happen, but it’s not going to be nice.”
Although the NDCA’s request won’t be formally voted on until 2008 budget discussions in the fall, the plan received the support of council as a whole following the presentation.
Date Published | Aug. 9, 2007
BY TRACEY DUGUAY
Last week’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis highlighted the need for cities to pay attention to their infrastructure, and Greater Sudbury is no exception, council was told Wednesday night.
The state of the city’s dams and a major downtown box culvert was a topic of discussion at a city council meeting, following a presentation by Bob Rodgers, chair of the Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA) board of directors.
Rodgers appealed to council for a stable source of capital funding to be built into the budget in order for the NDCA to be able to plan and carry out major projects without having to ask for the money on an ad hoc basis.
Currently, the city approves an annual operating budget for NDCA but capital funding projects are dealt with on an individual basis. The province used to provide capital funding for conservation authorities but stopped doing so in 1996.
Since 2001, the NDCA has gone before council and received amounts ranging from $125,000 to $250,000 to undertake major projects. An amount of $125,000 for one-time funding was approved in the 2007 city budget.
However, NDCA is now asking council to approve an additional $125,000 as permanent funding for 2008 onwards. In other words, if approved, the city would provide $250,000 in capital funding annually to the NDCA, with the suggestion the money come from the Community Projects Support envelope.
“We’re asking for a little bit of certainty,” said Rodgers.
The NCDA is mandated under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario to manage all aspects of watershed planning for the areas that fall within its jurisdiction. This work is done in co-operation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the City of Greater Sudbury.
Maintaining dams and culverts associated with the watershed falls under its area of responsibility. Watershed problems can develop due to flooding and erosion and climate change, with its associated severe storm events, is adding extra pressure to municipal infrastructures.
The NDCA is currently working on maintenance projects on the Maley, Nickeldale and Lake Laurentian dams, as well as 1,755 metres of box culvert located underneath downtown streets. It also has to maintain and upgrade the 950-hectres Lake Laurentian Conservation Area.
Rodgers’ presentation was well received by members of council, many of whom sit or have sat on the board of directors for the NDCA.
“I’m impressed with the small staff, small office and small budget [of the NDCA],” said Ward 1 Councillor Joe Cimino, who is also a current member of the conservation authority’s board. “They’re just asking for consistency in a base budget for continuity of planning.”
Former board member and Ward 10 Councillor Fran Caldarelli said the bridge collapse in the United States is a perfect example of why municipalities need to be proactive when it comes to maintaining, repairing and upgrading bridges, roads, culverts or dams.
“We need to seriously look at maintaining our infrastructure,” Caldarelli Rodgers reinforced Caldarelli’s comments to council with a dire warning of what could happen if it doesn’t invest in this type of work.
“If one of our dams lets go, you’re going to feel it in this building,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know what is going to happen, but it’s not going to be nice.”
Although the NDCA’s request won’t be formally voted on until 2008 budget discussions in the fall, the plan received the support of council as a whole following the presentation.
