Terrace council has approved additional funding for two safety-focused projects at the Sportsplex and the city’s skate park.
Council signed off on $30,000 in total budget increases, with the funding coming primarily from the Terrace Community Forest Reserve.
The largest portion will support a sidewalk extension project near the Sportsplex.
The proposed project would see the extension of the existing sidewalk to link up with a crosswalk leading to the arena entrance as part of efforts to fix a longstanding issue raised by staff regarding pedestrian safety.
The area has experienced more foot traffic from day care centers and families, with pedestrians crossing without appropriate walkways.
In addition to extending the sidewalk, the plan also includes upgrading the existing gravel path that links the walkway to Kalum Street, which is currently in poor shape.
An additional $15,000 towards the project would be shared equally between the Terrace Community Forest Reserve and the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine.
Council also approved an additional $15,000 for safety improvements at the skate park.
The funding would be used for mitigation efforts designed to extend the life of the existing park while planning for future redevelopment.
In addition to this, the city will also remove one electrical structure inside the skate park and reconfigure the electricity lines. This way, the lighting in the skate park, as well as the adjacent pump track, will be much better, and will have better access to electricity when holding community events.
City staff claimed that it was necessary to provide extra funding following more accurate estimations and proposal requests.
These two projects are likely to go forward this year, and the construction of the skate park is estimated to be completed before the start of the summer season.
