Mission council received an update on capital projects at Monday’s (March 18) meeting, including 14th Avenue improvements and the 7th Avenue Greenway.
A report was provided to council from the engineering department detailing projects that include studies, designs, transportation projects, equipment, drainage, sanitary and water upgrades, environmental and waste management, and facilities upgrades.
Phase two of the 7th Avenue Greenway project was put on hold after the completion of phase one in 2023. A review of phase one and recommendations for phase two are on the way this summer, according to the report.
Design for the second phase of the project is at 70 per cent completion, but also dependent on plans for a new Mission Secondary School.
“I think as a council, we’re hearing and seeing a lot more support for the multi-use path approach that … we’ve seen on 14th Avenue and elsewhere,” Mission Mayor Paul Horn said.
“So I can tell you that I would be very interested before this comes back to us as a request for phase two of what we’ve seen … I’d be very interested in us taking a look at how the western portion of 7th Avenue be built into our multi-use path planning process as opposed to a standalone project.”
Improvements to 14th Avenue are underway with construction on the current phase expected to wrap up in May 2024. Phases three and four of the project have design at 95 per cent completion with construction expected to begin this year.
According to the report, the project has $7.8 million already funded as part of the city’s capital plan through Development Cost Charge (DCC) funding. However, $10 million could be needed for the works based on phase two, the report says.
Meanwhile, the conceptual design for Silverdale Crossing is expected to be initiated in 2024 and completed by 2025. The report outlines the need for a bridge connection over Silverdale Creek.
For the Downtown Parking Study, a final report will be completed in April after the latest findings were presented to council in November. With changes to the downtown’s density on the way via new provincial housing legislation, council asked if the report would still be valid.
“There are some shorter-term recommendations in the report that would still be valid and we are still thinking about what how the regulations could impact some of the other recommendations and we’re keeping that in mind with the finalization of the report,” engineering director Tracy Kyle told council.
A consultant was also hired to look into the needs of city facilities including city hall, the RCMP building, public works, Mission Search and Rescue, and fire stations for Cedar Valley and Silverdale. According to the report, no funding has yet been approved for design and construction of a Silverdale fire station. An update will be coming later in 2024.
The city will also hire a consultant to complete a risk assessment of storm drainage systems. The study will examine rainfall, storm sewers and culverts, and where upgrades are needed due to flooding.
“The city’s storm drainage systems were designed for runoff rates that have increased because of changing climates and they are typically no longer capable of conveying the same events they were designed for,” the report reads.
Construction on three crosswalks on Hurd Street will begin this spring and is expected to last three and a half months.
A sidewalk for Silverdale Avenue from Rook Crescent to Wren Street is also expected to begin construction in 2024. Construction on two other sidewalks near Edwin S. Richards Elementary and Albert McMahon Elementary are dependant on funding and approval.
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