Aurora to proceed with Library Square despite grant rejection, mayor says

100% of financial burden now on Aurora taxpayers, councillor argues

Yorkregion.com
August 19, 2020
Lisa Queen

Despite being rejected for grant funding from the federal and provincial governments, Aurora is expected to move forward with the $51.9 million Library Square project, Mayor Tom Mrakas said.

Council is expected to award the tender for the project to Chandos Construction Ltd. at a special council meeting Aug. 25.

The move comes even though Aurora was turned down for a grant through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), which sees federal, provincial and municipal governments sharing the cost of infrastructure projects.

While the funding would have been welcome, Mrakas remains committed to proceeding with Library Square.

“The ICIP grants were awarded primarily to communities that ‘needed’ funding. Since Aurora is in a strong financial position, with healthy reserves, this put us at a disadvantage and we were not awarded the grant,” he said in an email.

“Library Square has followed the same funding process as any other capital project and the funding strategy approved by council in December 2019 was not dependent on external funding. The December 2019 approval directed town staff to issue a tender package for the project with anticipated groundbreaking to take place in September 2020. We were pleased that the tender came in under the approved budget.”

If approved by council Aug. 25, the tender would be awarded to Chandos for $41 million, with a total project budget of $51.9 million, according to a report coming to council.

However, as controversy over Library Square mounts, with at least one group of residents forming to plead with council to rethink the project, not all councillors are on board.

Coun. John Gallo, who has expressed concerns with the funding of Library Square and along with councillors Wendy Gaertner and Rachel Gilliland voted against the $7.5 million purchase of property at the southeast corner of Yonge and Mosley streets as part of the project, said he will vote against awarding the tender.

“Library square is a good Idea.  I don’t believe the timing is right and the funding model will deplete the hydro reserve” of about $28 million following the sale of Aurora Hydro years ago, he said in an email.

Council is also considering financing the project through a loan.

Now that Library Square has been rejected for an ICIP grant, “100 per cent (of the financial burden) is on Aurorans,” Gallo said.