Downtown construction debate continues at city council
BELLEVILLE – A new report on how Belleville’s downtown revitalization can stay under budget will be delivered at Monday’s city council meeting.
The report details what the downtown revitalization will look like if held to its original $21 million budget. It says that approximately 56 per cent of the remaining section of Front Street could be done within the original budget. This represents the section of Front Street from south of Victoria Avenue to just south of Century Place.
But the report also notes that none of the remaining side streets part of the original construction plan could be completed within that budget. It also said that many design elements part of the original plan would have to be removed.
The project, part of the Build Belleville initiative, has been debated by council at recent meetings. This is because the first stage of the construction, which which goes from Station Street to Pinnacle Street and Victoria Avenue, pushed the overall project $10 million over budget.
City staff have already proposed other ways to fund all sections of the downtown construction. Their previous report on the project suggested that additional funding could by found from federal and provincial governments. It also said that the city could take money from other capital projects that have gone under budget and redirect it towards the downtown.
But several councillors took issue with these proposals and city staff was challenged to present which parts of the downtown construction could be completed within the remaining original budget.
The council meeting begins at 5 p.m. QNet News will report from the scene.
More to come.
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