04/02/2015
Saint John Looking To Feds To Pay For Market Repairs
KARISSA DONKIN
Telegraph Journal
April 2, 2015
SAINT JOHN • Common Council has directed city manager Patrick Woods to immediately file a federal funding application to pay for repairs at the City Market.
The market needs repairs on its roof, windows and the exterior of the vacant tower, a spot that could be used for some city hall offices in the future. It also needs a replacement for the frequently-broken escalator, which is so old that staff have trouble finding parts.
Mayor Mel Norton estimated the total cost of repairs at $5.7 million to $5.8 million and he hopes the cost can be split three ways. The city has already committed $700,000 for basic repairs through its 2015 capital budget.
“We’re going to do as much as we can with our own money,” the mayor said. “But we want to leverage as many other dollars from others that are able to contribute as possible.”
Norton said the city has told Conservative Saint John MP Rodney Weston that the market is now the city’s top funding priority. Weston recommended the city put in an application through the Building Canada fund. The federal government has committed $53 billion toward provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure through the fund over the next 10 years. Last month, Weston said he was optimistic the city will be able to secure federal dollars to repair the market.
The maximum amount available for a project under the Building Canada fund is $5 million, and Norton said the city is hoping to get as much as possible for the market. The city has also submitted a Building Canada application to get new buses, in a bit to refresh the transit fleet and make more of it accessible.
The mayor also hoping the provincial government will chip in on market repairs. On Monday, Norton said he was working on setting up a conversation with Liberal ministers and local MLAs Ed Doherty and Rick Doucet. Neither Doherty or Doucet responded to a request for comment on Wednesday.
“One of the things we want to communicate to them is this is our top priority,” Norton said. “This is the only ask from the city of Saint John.”
If the city can secure the full $5.7 million to $5.8 million this spring, Norton said work could begin this summer. That would just leave the city to pay for the interior upgrades to the market tower, which was significantly damaged in a flood last winter.
Before council set its 2015 capital budget, council met in private twice to set a list of key capital priorities. The city market came out on top, while facility maintenance at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, redevelopment of Loyalist Plaza, development of a field house, renewal of the transit fleet and development of Partridge Island also made the cut.
The repairs needed at the market represent a portion of the city’s repair backlog. Last year, council heard the city has a backlog of $20 million worth of maintenance work at 80 city-owned buildings scattered throughout the city. At least one of the buildings – the Reversing Falls restaurant – will be demolished instead of repaired. The city has earmarked $90,000 for that demolition this year.
Some on council have been critical of the decision not to put more money into facilities like the City Market. The city should put in a more serious effort to reclaim the City Market, arguing it would send a message to other levels of government, Ward 1 Coun. Bill Farren said last week. He cast the sole vote against the 2015 capital budget.
“We’re putting off these deficiencies and every year you put them off, the deficiency gets that much worse and the cost of doing the deficiency is even more expensive,” the councillor said in an interview.