Whitehorse budgets $21M for new services and operations buildings

The biggest chunk of money in the City of Whitehorse’s new capital budget — almost 70 per cent of the total — will go toward construction of two new buildings for the city's services and operations departments.

One will be behind the Public Safety Building at the top of Two Mile Hill and Range Road. The other, a service building, will be located beside city hall on Second Avenue. 

The city has budgeted $21 million for the project in 2015. The buildings are projected to cost more $56 million over four years.

“This expenditure will mean economic opportunities and benefits for local tradespeople businessmen, contractors and suppliers,” says Mayor Dan Curtis. “We will maximize the opportunities, while making sure the project is as cost effective as possible.”

The city’s current service and operations departments are located in several buildings throughout the city, some of which are in such disrepair that it would cost more to renovate them than to start from scratch.

Curtis says the consolidation will also save money in the long run.

"On top of that, it will significantly reduce energy costs over the long term, improve service delivery and increase operational efficiencies,” Curtis says.

Curtis says no tax increases are required for the projects. Money for the Building Consolidation Plan will come from the federal gas tax and from the city's capital reserves.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2015. Services and Operations are expected to move in by 2017.

The city plans to hold a Building Consolidation Project open house Nov. 19, followed by a public meeting on the capital budget on Nov. 24. 

Other capital spending

The remaining $9 million in the 2015 capital budget will be spread between smaller projects.

About $750,000 will go toward reducing the smell from the Livingstone Trail sewage lagoon.

Another $250,000 will be put into efforts to divert garbage from the landfill.