SYDNEY, N.S. — Cape Breton Regional Municipality council is looking to take advantage of a provincial funding program to better waterproof parts of the municipality.
During Tuesday’s regular meeting, council approved a motion directing staff to apply for money under the Provincial Flood Risk Infrastructure Investment Program. According to CBRM public works director Wayne MacDonald, the funds will be used to conduct a flood risk assessment of the Prime Brook watershed.
“The next step according to the National Disaster Mitigation Program framework is to perform a flood risk assessment at the watershed level including at water crossings, such as culverts, inventory and condition assessment,” explained MacDonald during Tuesday afternoon’s teleconference meeting.
If approved, the $150,000 will be supplemented by the CBRM’s 50 per cent share of $75,000, which in this case will be paid for under the gas tax program that was okayed earlier this year.
The Prime Brook assessment comes as flood mitigation measures continue to be taken in and above the Wash Brook flood plain in the wooded area in Sydney’s south end.
So far, a flow control structure has been completed at Mud Lake, located south of Highway 135 between the Mira Road and Grand Lake Road junctions. Work on a similar structure at nearby Gilholme’s Lake has been designed and is expected to be completed this year. The third component of the Wash Flood mitigation plan calls for the establishment of a man-made catchment basin beside the popular Baille Ard Trail system. Original plans called for the construction of six earthen berms that would have crisscrossed the trail system at 11 different points and affect an estimated 360 metres of trail. However, the plan was revised in February and the pond will now affect just 12 metres of pathway.
Meanwhile, the municipality is also applying for another $150,000 from the Provincial Capital Assistance Program to perform stormwater separation work in Sydney’s Whitney Pier area. The recommended work is intended to identify and carry out infrastructure improvement initiatives that will reduce the CBRM’s treatment and pumping costs.
“Considering the age of our sewer systems and historical installation techniques, stormwater separation work will be an ongoing endeavour for the CBRM for many years to come,” said MacDonald.
Like the Prime Brook flood risk assessment project, the CBRM’s share of the project will be covered by the gas tax program.
The municipality has been tackling flood mitigation issues since the 2016 Thanksgiving Day floods that devastated property and infrastructure in low-lying areas across the CBRM, including the especially hard-hit south end of Sydney.
Meanwhile, the municipality is also continuing the seemingly unending work of bringing its aging wastewater treatment and disposal system up to higher federal standards. The multi-decade project is expected to cost as much as $500 million once the final aspects are completed by the 2040 deadline.
