Kincardine chooses upgraded option for municipal parking lot

The municipal parking lot, east of Queen Street, Kincardine, is going to be paved – finally - and upgraded with improved drainage, a concrete island, lighting, landscaping, and an electric vehicle charging station, at a cost of $568.044.15 plus engineering and contingency. Budget for the project was $777,500.

 

In committee-of-the-whole Wednesday night (April 13), chief administrative officer Murray Clarke explained the project, noting that the original proposal by municipal engineer, B.M. Ross and Associates, was to reconstruct the parking lot, install a watermain, improve draining and parking, and install landscaping and lights, to the tune of $1-million.

 

That was scaled down to just include the watermain replacement between Queen Street and Princes Street North ($85,000), pulverize and pave the parking lot, and improve the drainage behind the stores on Queen Street.

 

The project went to tender on the preferred option which included the installation of the north-south island with a mountable curb on the west side and a barrier curb on the east side to intercept the east-to-west sheet flow of stormwater run-off, said Clarke, as well as the alternative option which did not include a north-south island, just a concrete gutter to intercept the east-to-west sheet flow of stormwater run-off.

 

The lowest bidder for both options, was Bill and Tom Kempton Construction Ltd., of Amberley, at $568,044.15 for the preferred option, and $544,826.34 for the alternative option. The other three tenders were from Cedarwell Excavating, $568,53.68 and $544,875.63; Lavis Contracting Ltd., $606,584.14 and $582,318.45; and Armstrong Paving, $654,944.80 and $623,216.83.

 

Clarke said the preferred option is recommended by the design team at B.M. Ross, and by municipal staff.

 

“I don't see a benefit to having this little park in the parking lot,” said councillor Gordon Campbell.

 

Engineer Dale Erb of B.M. Ross said installing the north-south island, located just east of the commercial buildings on Queen Street, is the best way to improve drainage on this property. “When the parking lot is all rebuilt and properly graded, it will work,” he said.

 

“I don't support this,” argued Campbell. “It's a waste of parking space.”

 

In a recorded vote at the committee-of-the-whole level, the result was 6-1 in favour of the preferred option. Voting in favour ,were mayor Anne Eadie, deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert and councillors Maureen Couture, Laura Haight, Linda McKee and Andrew White; voting against, was Campbell.

 

That was later endorsed by council.