Tenders have been awarded for the Kelland Drive reconstruction and extension project in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but it doesn't necessarily mean the controversial project is an over-and-done issue.
The town council passed the motion to award the four tenders, valued at just over $5.5 million, at a recent special meeting. Two of the tenders in the bundle were for Kelland Drive, for upgrading existing road infrastructure and for the extension to Corte Real Road, and the other two were for other local road work and for improvements to storm and sewer systems. However, it wasn't unanimous, with two councillors, Jackie Compton Hobbs and Lori Dyson-Edmunds, voting against the motion.
The pair have voiced their concerns in council over the project in recent months.
Compton Hobbs questioned the 14-metre buffer zone listed in the tenders, considering the outcry from the public who wanted the buffer moved back to 30 metres.
There have been public meetings, a petition and protests on the project from impacted residents, who say it comes too close to their homes and would destroy part of the nearby trail system.
"I want the public to know there’s no egg on my face because I fought tooth and nail to have this road moved back.” — Coun. Jackie Compton Hobbs
One of the four tenders came in under budget, to the tune of about $260,000, and another part came in $306,000 over budget.
Compton Hobbs said she felt council should discuss this and was told once the contract is awarded, they can have a discussion on possibly changing the routes.
“I can’t speak for council, but from what I’m hearing councillors aren’t budging or changing their minds on this, which I think is sad,” she said. “Years down the road, when we’re not around or on council anymore, maybe even next spring when it’s done, and the complaints are rolling in left, right and centre, it’ll be this council who will be wearing egg on their faces.
"I want the public to know there’s no egg on my face because I fought tooth and nail to have this road moved back.”
Town engineer Randy Dillon said that if council decided to move the road to the 30-metre buffer zone, it would cost approximately $165,000. If cost-shared with the federal and provincial governments, the town's share would be around $55,000. Dillon said he doesn’t believe it would be an issue, but he would need to confirm it with the project partners.
Compton Hobbs said if the town already has to borrow money to cover the $306,000 that went over budget, she doesn’t see why an extra $55,000 would be a concern.
“If we have to get money from the bank to make this happen — because we’ll be looking at it from the budget coming up — another $55,000 isn’t going to break the town to move that back to 30 metres instead of 14. If we’re going to do it, we only have one chance of getting it right and ... there’s a lot of opposition to that road.”
Roadwork won’t begin until spring and Compton Hobbs said she wants council to look at it over the winter, referencing a commitment by Mayor Wally Andersen to look at changes if parts of the project came in under budget.
Andersen said he would stick to his commitment and that council would look at the matter in the coming months.
“I will give a serious look and have a serious discussion as to what we can do," he said. "Will we do it? I don’t know. I’m not saying this just to get the motion put through, I gave the people my word and we will have a discussion, look at our budget, and at the end of the day, we will make a decision that’s in the best interests of the people.”
Andersen pointed out savings from one contract can’t be directly moved to another part of the project, since it’s all cost-shared with the federal and provincial governments. Coming in under budget means they would get less federal/provincial money for that part of the project, not have the amount left over to apply elsewhere.
