Further work is needed on the proposed West Bay Connector Trail to support a federal grant application for the project's cost, estimated to be more than $57 million.
At its May 26 meeting, Salmon Arm council voted to sole source ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. the contract to complete a climate risk assessment for the trail at a cost of $14,942 plus taxes. Council also authorized using funds from the city's West Bay Connector Trail reserve to cover the cost.
Providing an update on the overall project, city engineering and public works director Rob Niewenhuizen said on April 1, staff received the final report, preliminary design and Class C costing for the trail from ISL. Construction of the trail was estimated to cost $57,689,441, which includes a 30 per cent contingency and a 10 per cent consulting and engineering estimate.
In March, council authorized a letter of support for the Shuswap Trail Alliance (STA), in conjunction with the Adams Lake Band, for an application to the Indigenous stream of the federal Active Transportation Fund, to secure funding for detailed design and construction. Salmon Arm's support involved leveraging the $500,000 in the West Bay Connector reserve.
At that time, STA executive director Jen Bellhouse explained the application would be for 100 per cent funding, and leveraging the city's funds made for a "stronger application showing partnerships."
During the application process, the STA was made aware that because the estimated project cost exceeds $10 million, a climate risk assessment was required. The assessment would evaluate both climate adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.
Given ISL's involvement in the project, city staff "felt that it would be good to sole source through them," said Niewenhuizen.
Even if the grant application isn't successful, Niewenhuizen said the climate risk assessment "would be required for any other granting authority we would be applying for in the future."
Mayor Alan Harrison stressed the project couldn't be built without provincial and federal funds.
"We just don’t have that kind of money," said Harrison. "So this is a proactive move in that, as the director mentioned, any grant that we get is likely going to need a climate risk assessment because of the location of the project and the amount of differing lands. It’s going to be a floating or some type of above water trail, so for sure it’s going to need those assessments…"
The West Bay Connector Trail the trail would run from Pierre's Point, along the shoreline of Shuswap Lake, to Salmon Arm where it would connect with the city's foreshore trail.
In January 2020, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with the Neskonlith and Adams Lake bands for the trail’s creation. At that time, more than 40 people had died along the railway tracks between Salmon Arm and lands to the west.
