It was Gardiner versus Gardeners Tuesday evening in North Bay City Council Chambers as Coun. Gary Gardiner looked several members of the North Bay Heritage Gardeners in the eye and told them, while he appreciates the group's contributions to the community, he feels their nearly $250,000 waterfront project was too rich for his blood and is bound to cost the City of North Bay additional money to maintain.
"When we look at our capital budget and the Main Street reconstruction project, for example, is $2 million over budget," said Gardiner. "We have pressures on our capital budget, and that is the main reason I will not be supporting this.
"Also, the investment in putting an asset down on the waterfront that's made of pavers — their life-cycle is not what it used to be. In 10 years, we're going to be having to look at repairing, replacing, so there are extra costs. I cannot support this motion."
Coun. Chris Mayne followed Gardiner with words of support for the project. Canada Place has been delayed for various reasons since the project's inception and the tie-in with the nation's 150th anniversary in 2017 but is included in the 2023 capital budget.
"I'm pleased to support this proposal," he said. "The waterfront continues to be a signature piece for the City of North Bay. It's a place that everyone is brought to when they are visiting the city and I think we do need to continue to invest in it to keep it looking fresh and inviting rather than stale or in disrepair."
The North Bay Heritage Gardeners have committed $54,654 to the Canada Place project. This amount is earmarked to go toward the construction contract pending council's approval. Before Mallah's motion, council was poised to vote on a $248,856 contract to North Bay's Canor Construction Inc. for the construction of the Waterfront Garden Canada Day 150 Project, of which the municipality's share would be approximately $194,000.
According to the associated staff report, the project was initiated by the Heritage Gardeners as a way of celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary and ties into the Downtown Waterfront Masterplan (DWMP) by enhancing the waterfront’s public art and creating new centres of activity.
"This project will create a welcoming plaza-style area for users of the Waterfront that are arriving from Downtown or walking along the waterfront path. The City of North Bay built an accessible pathway in 2020 as the first phase of this project. This second phase of the project will create an open gathering space with a large maple leaf built into the paving stones."
Coun. Justine Mallah echoed the platitudes expressed regarding the volunteer hours put in by the Heritage Gardeners and the draw of the waterfront area but shared she had received "several emails of concern around the cost of this project. I would like to refer it to committee because I would like more information about it."
Mallah's motion passed and the matter will next be addressed in an upcoming infrastructure and operations committee meeting.
