Mayor moves to sack Sackville extension

City Council has decided to postpone a planned 830-metre extension of Sackville Road, after Mayor Christian Provenzano said the $5 million project may no longer be advisable given the city's current economic realities

"Building a new road, that's what we're doing," Mayor Provenzano told Monday night's council meeting.

"We're going to have another road to plow. Another road to maintain. Before we decide to build a new road, I think we need to have a debate," the mayor said.

Extending Sackville to Third Line was already approved as part of the city's capital budget and transportation master plan.

Don McConnell, the city's planning director, asked council on Monday to approve an official plan amendment allowing the road extension.

But Mayor Provenzano took the unusual step of leading off the discussion by expressing his personal reservations.

"I've always questioned this project," the mayor said. "We have, frankly, some critical roads right now that need attention. We have, I think, as a council to do a much more thorough job of setting our own priorities."

"This is a huge project. I'm not entirely convinced that we wouldn't be dedicating over $5 million to address a problem that we don't really have. And if it is a problem, I'm not sure it's our most immediate problem. I would frankly think it isn't."

"There are a few times a day where traffic in that area of the city is difficult. But it certainly isn't difficult in the evening. And it certainly isn't difficult on the weekends. For those few times a day that it is difficult, I don't think you really have significant traffic issues." 

Mayor Provenzano pointed out that next month, the city's community adjustment committee is expected to recommend appropriate responses to the recent economic downturn here.

"There are some capital decisions that we might have to make as a result of that," the mayor said.

He asked that the $5-million Sackville construction project be delayed through April and May, with a final decision to be made after that.

The project needs to be postponed, "but just for a short period of time so we could have that debate about our capital spending."

"This is the only piece of road that's recommended by our transportation master plan," Provanzano said.

"My feeling is that traffic isn't the problem that this community has right now. If we focus too much on doing things the way we've always done things and don't focus on some more immediate discussions, traffic certainly isn't going to be a problem in the future." 

So far, the city has spent $142,000 on the Sackville extension, $77,000 for design work and $65,000 for an environmental assessment.

The job is currently being tendered, with a deadline of 3 p.m. on April 11.

If city councillors decide to place the project on a back burner, the critical element is the environmental assessment and it has a 10-year shelf life, councillors were told.

"Maybe we should be looking at this several years down the road," said Ward 5 councillor Marchy Bruni.

"I think with the $5 million that the city has budgeted, I would like to see some of this money directed towards our roads. Especially this harsh winter that has occurred, if you drive around our city, there are more potholes than you can imagine," Bruni said.

On Monday, City Council was presented with a petition signed by 25 residents calling for cancellation of the Sackville extension.

The petitioners argued that extending Sackville to Third Line will lead to more traffic and noise pollution on Sackville, environmental problems on the Fort Creek tributaries, as well as adding permanent road maintenance and service costs to the city budget.