Local improvement projects on Pearson Avenue and 19th Avenue in North Battleford have been given the go ahead by city council, although some residents are opposed.
The improvements on Pearson will include subgrade, subbase, base and pavement from 110th Street to St. Laurent Drive at an estimated cost of $477,536.35. Approximately $338,489 of that will be paid by the City and the remainder of $139,046 is to be paid by the landowners. The special assessment can be prepaid by landowners or in annual installments from 2015 to 2024.
Local landowners did petition against the project, however the petition fell short of two criteria it would have to meet to stop the local improvement from going ahead; it did not represent at least half the assessed value of the property affected or half the signatures needed.
A letter from petitioners objected to paying for fixing damage that has been done by at least nine school buses they see travelling their street four times a day to and from North Battleford Comprehensive High School throughout the school year.
The letter also suggested the school division have its buses come off Territorial Drive at 15th Avenue, instead of St. Laurent, and travel down 110th Street to the high school; they would be travelling a wider road with fewer cars parked along it.
Council also approved a local improvement project for payment overlay on 19th Avenue from Walker Drive to Territorial Drive. The landowners' share of the $128,593 cost is estimated to be $61,566.
The 19th Avenue project was opposed by resident Connie Jamieson, who outlined two reasons for her opposition.
First, she felt the water and sewer infrastructure should be scoped and repaired if necessary before the road was improved.
Second, she said the cost should not be born only by the residents because it is a well travelled road used as a bus route and to access the crescents opening off it.
She wrote, "There are a lot of elderly homeowners on a budget and also low income families."
