Council's finance committee put future funding of Riel Recreation Park on hold, saying the project needs to be reviewed before they can support more spending.
"We are in such a black hole, we don't know where we are," said Mayor Nolan Crouse. "I don't want to start planning [more] funding for it."
The committee made the decision to delay funding for the final two phases of the four-phase project during a wider review of the 10-year utility capital plan on Monday. In total, the plan calls for $110 million in spending, leaving another $138 million worth of projects unfunded.
Crouse suggested moving the third and fourth phases of Riel Park to the unfunded list until a full report on the project is presented to council in early September. The city needed to stop spending money until council has more information, he added.
"I don't want to see us fund either phase," said Coun. Gareth Jones. "We need to have the full picture before we fund both of them."
Coun. James Burrows later said he was unhappy with the rising costs of the project, saying the time had come for the city to start asking for government funding to continue the remediation of the park.
"I think this is the city's line in the sand," he said. "It needs to be readdressed with the federal government."
During the discussion corporate services general manager Dean Screpnek informed the committee that the city's solid waste reserve is currently in a deficit.
"Council had a chance to refill that but council decided to vote that down [last week]," said Screpnek. "We've been able to maintain a positive cash flow position when you look at all four of our utility reserves together. The reality is though that our solid waste reserve is in a deficit position."
Crouse said he wanted to ensure the city had enough money to cover any cost increases that may occur. Screpnek assured funds raised through utility rates would be enough to cover it.
Other changes
Other notable changes to the plan include increasing funding for a wastewater main replacement program to $6 million over 10 years, adding a $9.2-million sedimentation and erosion control plan for the Sturgeon River, and moving the Oakmont distribution water main phase one into the unfunded category.
Crouse was disappointed the new plan did not put aside more for the wastewater household service replacements, $340,000 in 2011 and 2012, and then $200,000 for the remaining eight years of the plan. The program replaces underground pipes and helps reduce sewer backups.
"This is the biggest area of dissatisfaction in our community survey, and we're only putting $340,000 into it," Crouse said, adding he heard the city was behind on the project already.
"It's fairly specialized work," said Glenn Tompolski, public works director. The city has had problems finding contractors for the project, he said, however a plan is in the works to catch up within three to five years.
The committee will review the utility and municipal capital plans during a special in camera meeting later this month to make suggestions for the city's 2011 budget process.
