Province approves $525k for Reservoir and Pump Station Engineering project in Coaldale

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Erika Mathieu
Sunny South News

The Town of Coaldale will see an accelerated timeline on a high-priority capital project thanks to provincial funding provided by the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) program.

“In the next five to 10 years we are going to see massive growth in this area (…) so we’re going to need to get some of these projects done,” said MLA for Taber-Warner Grant Hunter during the public announcement at the Coaldale Civic building on April 18.

Hunter said as the Town of Coaldale and southern Alberta more broadly continues to experience a “surge in investment and economic growth,” infrastructure must be in place to support that growth.

During the announcement, MLA Hunter was joined by town staff and administration to speak on the provincial funding which will go towards the engineering costs of the Town’s potable water reservoir and pump station project. Approved funding of $525,045 through the AMWWP program will cover 36 per cent of the total cost of the project. The funds will support an accelerated timeline for the project’s completion and provide added capacity.

The AMWWP is the same program which provided funding for the Town’s recent wastewater treatment upgrades, completed in fall 2022. Town administration approached council in November 2022 seeking a resolution of support to move forward on the grant application and get into the provincial queue with the hopes of beginning the design process in 2023, as this granting program is is often oversubscribed.

It was noted in November 2022 that the requisite studies are already completed to justify the scope of the project and cost estimate.

Referencing the recent announcement made by McCains to invest $600 million into the facility near Coaldale, Hunter commented that “it is vital that we expand our capacity to meet the growing demands of our expanding area.”

Following the announcement, Mayor of Coaldale Jack Van Rijn told those in attendance, “we were pleased to receive the grant funding to cover a portion of the expenses related to our potable water reservoir and the pump station.” Van Rijn continued, “this core infrastructure project is vital for keeping up with Coaldale’s growth rate and ensuring we have sufficient storage capacity for both fire protection and our ability to sustain pressure throughout our water distribution system,” and added the project has been a top priority for council.

The project, which has an estimated total cost of around $10 million, will break ground in 2024 and is anticipated be completed by fall 2024.

Funding secured for pedestrian crossing at Highway 3 in Coaldale

The Town of Coaldale has received a $544,600 grant to cover a portion of the costs related to implementing an at-grade pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Highway 3 and Land O’ Lakes Drive in Coaldale.

In addition to the news that the Town would receive $525,000 through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership program to cover a portion of the engineering costs related to the potable water reservoir and pump station project, MLA for Taber-Warner, Grant Hunter, also heralded a second grant under the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure program.

The funding will go toward investing in pedestrian pathways surrounding the new hybrid high school and recreation centre located north of Highway 3.

Prior to settling on an at-grade crossing, council also considered a raised or underground crossing. Cost estimates to construct a tunnelled crossing came in at $25 million, and $19 million for an overpass crossing since either option would be a more rigorous engineering endeavour and would also take more time to complete, a factor of note as the new rec centre and high school is set to open by fall 2024.

The funding awarded to the Town through the Transportation Infrastructure Program will cover nearly 50 per cent of the total project cost. Mayor of Coaldale, Jack Van Rijn added the Town is, “incredibly thankful to have secured funding for the construction of an at-grade pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Highway 3 and Land O’ Lakes Drive. This project will provide a central connection point from the south side of Coaldale to the new multi-use recreation centre and high school while at the same time improving pedestrian safety.”

Van Rijn said administration will continue to work alongside Alberta Transportation and CP Rail on the design of the project with the goal of breaking ground in 2024 to have the project completion in time for back to school that autumn.