Red Deer city council approved a $121-million capital budget on Tuesday night.
The document includes projects that will be undertaken in 2019, or items that require additional funding from previous years.
The city has approved $2.6 million to plan an expansion and enhancement of the G.H. Dawe Community Centre. The project, including a twinned and expanded arena and new spray park, would cost $32 million, with preliminary dates scheduled for 2021 and 2022.
A $15-million federal grant has already been applied for to help support these costs.
Some of the items passed during council’s deliberations include crown paving, infrastructure upgrades in Riverside Meadows and water and wastewater infrastructure, including a phosphorus recovery facility.
Some components of the Northland Drive project, connecting along Highway 11A, were approved as a part of a long-term plan to connect along the river to 30th Avenue. The improvements along Highway 11A will also provide access to development in the north.
“We are focusing our investments towards projects and infrastructure that ensure our sustainability, while ensuring we are still being proactive in planning for growth,” said Mayor Tara Veer.
“We recognize the importance of keeping tax rates as low as possible for our citizens while the economy continues to move through a state of recovery, and also ensuring we have the infrastructure in place to meet growth and support economic development that positions us for our community’s future.”
With the approval of the capital budget, the city’s estimated debt limit for 2019 sits at 56 per cent, which is below the 75 per cent debt limit set by council.
“When we developed this budget for council’s consideration, we focused on sustainability of our infrastructure and kept the current economic reality at top of mind,” said city manager Craig Curtis.
“The reality is the economy continues to recover more slowly than anticipated, and recognizing this, we recommended a capital budget that respects council’s direction, vision for community amenities and budget guidelines surrounding debt limit and minimal tax increases.”