ANTIGONISH: It’s going to be a busy year, as the municipal council in Antigonish County passed an “aggressive plan” for capital expenditures in 2020-21.
During their regular monthly council meeting on May 11, council approved the $4.2 million plan that will see some major upgrades in the Fringe Water Utility on Post Road.
Warden Owen McCarron said there is going to be the construction of a new water tower, its associated transmission and distribution lines, along with looping from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada office, to the Atlantic Superstore area.
“Which will also build in a bit of redundancy for that part of our water utility,” McCarron said. “This project is something that has been talked about for a number of years…”
The water tower tender is going out immediately, with the work starting within the next two months.
Additionally, McCarron highlighted several other projects including the repaving of Market Street; curb, gutter and repaving work to Mount Cameron Circle from Highway 337; as well as repaving several J-class roads – Willowdale Lane, Gilfoy Road, Granview Drive, and the Sylvan Valley Road area.
A tender has been awarded to Nova Construction Company Ltd., at a bid price of $179,553.25, plus HST. There is also a cost-share agreement for J-class roads with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, for the repaving of Market Street.
Antigonish County also awarded a tender to Allan MacNeil Construction Ltd. for the Mount Cameron project for a bid price of $192,588.75 plus HST, as well as a revision to the scope of asphalt paving, at an additional cost of $55,341.50.
“We have a couple projects that are shovel-ready, and this will get some activity going here in the county,” McCarron said. “And we just feel, this year more importantly than ever, the importance of having people working is critical.”
He added the goal is to have most of these projects completed by late fall.