Richmond Hill OKs $43.9M capital budget to fund roads, parks, community centres

No funding has been allocated for the Civic Precinct project in the 2019 capital budget.

YorkRegion.com
Feb. 13, 2019
Sheila Wang

Richmond Hill council has adopted its capital budget for 2019 which focuses on managing and renewing town assets and infrastructure.

Councillors agreed to a $43.9 million capital budget at a council meeting on Feb. 11 which provides funding for a number of capital infrastructure projects including road reconstruction, water meter replacements and park revitalization.

“With the 2019 capital budget, we are maintaining and improving our infrastructure,” said Mayor Dave Barrow. “All this while keeping in mind how projects today will impact operating budgets in the future.”

The Highway 404 flyover project is among the top ticket items that calls for $7.8 million for the acquisition of the land north of 16th Avenue. The project aims to relieve congestion in the area.

The town is allocating $4.2 million for water meter replacements. First approved by council in October 2012, Richmond Hill's water meter replacement program started in August 2013, and is expected to be completed in December 2019.

The capital budget also funds smaller projects and requirements that allow Richmond Hill to maintain the level of service to residents, such as the Harding/Lennox park revitalization project, and Elgin West Community Centre repairs and replacements.

Meanwhile, the parking study for Lake Wilcox park is included in the budget which will provide recommendations on options for managing parking at this busy lakefront park in Oak Ridges.

Two additional sidewalk tractors with sander and plow attachments are also in the budget which will help maintain the town’s more than 700 kilometres of sidewalks.

"It's a really good budget," Ward 5 Coun. Karen Cilevitz said. "I'm very pleased that the capital funds for the future rehabilitation of Lennox and Harding park were approved. For me and for Ward 5 residents, I'm very pleased about that because these are two parks that our residents have really wanted to see revitalized."

“The annual capital budget for the town is about delivering needed infrastructure and maximizing value to limit the impact on our residents,” said Deputy Mayor

Joe DiPaola, who is also the budget chair.

This year’s capital budget is significantly lower than in 2018 when $70.64 million was budgeted for repairing and replacing municipal infrastructure. The 2018 capital budget provided funding for the project management and architectural staff of the Civic Precinct project.

No funding has been allocated for the Civic Precinct project in the 2019 capital budget, according to David Dexter, director of the town’s financial services and treasurer.

The Civic Precinct project has been put on hold as the previous term of council voted in June 2018 to remove the civic building underground parking from the project and investigate other options.

From 2008 to 2017, Richmond Hill received $33.8 million in grant funding, which contributed to over $70 million in total project value.

Council members will discuss the operating budget at the budget committee of the whole meetings on Feb. 12, 19 and 26.

The operating budget is expected to be approved on Feb. 26.