The head of Municipal Operations Paul Groody concedes the city has alot of streets that cannot be maintained as they are. 220 lane kilometers of city streets will have to be reconstructed.
City Manager Pat Woods expects the city will have to keep a close eye on what it spends for the next few years because the province is in a cost saving mode.
There are several projects on the wish list that will go ahead if there is funding help from the province and federal government. These include retrofitting the Trade and Convention Centre, restoration of the Paramount Theatre and an artificial turf field in Millidgeville. The city manager singled out the Trade and Convention Centre as a priority because of the economic spinoffs.
The capital budget contains over 18 million dollars to be spent on the Peel Plaza development by the city this year. Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase isn't happy about that but fellow Council member Chris Titus sees the project in a positive light with potential for future growth in a part of the city that has been largely vacant. Chase points out 60 per cent of new money is being eaten up by Peel Plaza but, nonetheless, he still voted in favour.
