Just as necessity is the mother of invention, new information to councillors resulted in a revised CIIF application for local projects.
On Aug. 15, Puslinch council supported an application to the Community Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF), but it wasn’t quite what was originally proposed.
Originally, the projects up for discussion included the Puslinch Community Centre proposed storage room addition, accessible washrooms and roof replacement; the Morriston Meadows Booth roof replacement and the Optimist Recreation Centre drainage.
But it appears the rules had changed, since council first discussed the matter.
Mayor Dennis Lever said he discovered the criteria for funding is now for projects which would not have otherwise been done without the grant.
Lever said unfortunately that rules out funding for the work on the Puslinch community centre – including the work on the storage area and accessible washrooms.
He said a resolution from county needed to outline project priorities.
The first motion authorized named the Puslinch Community Centre roof replacement; parking lot repaving and line painting; the community centre expansion lands (at the community centre) paving and line painting; the Arkell, Morriston and Aberfoyle playground equipment replacement.
Lever said council needed to decide which projects to include, as well as the priorities.
“But it can’t be a project we would have done without this grant money.”
At the same time, Lever said it was unclear how much funding the municipality might get.
Councillor Susan Fielding recommended prioritizing be done according to cost.
Lever said the playground equipment cost would be roughly $85,000 and pavement and line painting about $85,000 (but including the expanded area would total $100,000).
A quote was not available for the roof replacement.
Councillor Wayne Stokley clarified the work was for roof repairs – not replacement.
Stokley said he was surprised that items already budgeted for could not be within the application.
He explained his hope had been to direct the funds towards the work at the community centre.
However, he also wanted to see the funds used to deal with the drainage issues at the Optimist Recreation Centre.
Lever said the criteria change was a surprise to him as well.
But based on that, staff tried to come up with alternative projects which would not be completed within the next few years without the CIIF funding.
Fielding asked “if the funding was denied, what happens to those projects?”
Lever explained the projects would simply not proceed within a certain time period, not that the projects would not be done.
Councillor Jerry Schmidt said the new park is high on his wish list, but applying for funding right now is likely premature.
He too favoured the paving of the community centre parking lot and the ORC drainage.
Councillor Ken Roth said his priority was the drainage issue.
Projects, to be eligible, must be complete by March 2014.
Schmidt stated the ORC drainage is a prime candidate for this type of funding.
Stokley agreed the drainage needs to be the top priority.
Lever said council must remember that the municipality will need to come up with part of the money as well.
“We must fix the ORC (drainage) sooner than later and the parking lot as well. So if there is an opportunity to get a grant …”
Stokley agreed that while the paving work is needed, part of that cost is shared with the county – because of the location of the Aberfoyle library branch.
To him, the drainage and the paving were not the same issue.
Lever commented that the drainage work included draining water away from the ball diamonds and towards a back ditch.
“We’ve all agreed that the drainage is the top priority,” Lever said.
As to paving projects, he said the township has yet to receive word from the GRCA as to what exactly can be done with the back property, or where the boundaries are where work can be done.
There was generally agreement to apply for playground equipment replacement costs.
Council’s final decision was to apply for funds to deal with the drainage and playground equipment replacement.
