City hall notebook: Arlington bridge report, Transit facing shortfall

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This article was published 22/05/2019 (1793 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A preliminary design study for the replacement of the Arlington Street bridge will be submitted Tuesday to the City of Winnipeg’s public works committee.

Municipal engineers are seeking permission to reach out to CP Rail and open discussions on a land transfer agreement necessary to begin work on a 556-metre tub-girder bridge that would replace the existing 107-year-old structure.

The price tag for the engineers’ preferred option is $319 million.

If given the green light, the plan would have the city prioritize the Arlington Street project over other major construction projects that remain unfunded.

Transit eyeing shortfall

Winnipeg Transit is staring down an $854,000 shortfall due to changes in funding for its services during large events.

A city report set to be tabled at Tuesday’s meeting of the public works committee is seeking to have funding for additional Transit services during large events included in the department’s annual operating budget, beginning next year.

The report does not make clear why it is facing the shortfall, but it appears to have been prompted by the Winnipeg Football Club’s decision to pay less this CFL season for game-day bus services.

In the report, Winnipeg Transit service development manager Bjorn Radstrom suggests additional funding for the department may be required this year.

“Transit’s approved 2019 operating budget assumed the costs associated with providing this service would be recovered. For 2019, all efforts will be made to absorb costs into existing budget; however, it is not currently known if this will be possible,” Radstrom wrote.

Vote looms for former library building sale

A report submitted to Monday’s meeting of the property and development, heritage and downtown development committee is calling for the city to approve the sale of the former Charleswood Library.

The building at 5014 Roblin Blvd. was shuttered when the new Charleswood Library opened at 4910 Roblin Blvd., in January 2015.

The property was later declared surplus by city council in February 2018, and put on the market from Jan. 1 to March 8 of this year.

The report is calling for the property to be sold to proposed buyer, Ke Lin, for $575,000, less two per cent realtor’s commission of $11,500. Proceeds from the sale would go to the land operating reserve account and be used for future investments in community facilities.

If the committee votes in favour of the recommendation, the sale is expected to be complete as early as July.