Four-in-one study to ponder Iqaluit infrastructure puzzle

Facing a growing list of costly infrastructure projects, Iqaluit city council voted Sunday to roll four feasibility studies into one.

Councillors approved a proposal that would see the city study the best way to build a new pool, recreation centre, city hall and fire hall.

“This is really the first step with moving forward with any of these projects,” said Amy Elgersma, the assistant recreation director.

The decision means the city will issue a request for proposals to figure out what the best plan is to build some or all of the needed facilities.

A proposal call will go out once the 2010 budget is approved, likely in March.

Some facilities, like the recreation centre and pool could be built together, but Elgersma said, with limited money and land to work with, the city needs to plan with all four facilities in mind.

The city can save money by building some of the facilities together, but that doesn’t mean the city wants to build all four projects at the same time, said John Hussey, the city’s chief administrative officer.

“We could never afford it,” he said.

“Before we get into spending any money” the city needs a plan and secured funding, Hussey added.

Previous city planning studies identified the need for a new pool to replace the cramped and aging Astro Hill facility. Hussey told councillors the city is planning to renew the lease on the Astro Hill pool for yet another three years.

The city also needs a replacement for the aging Arnaitok complex, home to city hall, the fire hall and a hockey rink.

But the old prefab building is too small to hold all of the city’s office staff and has ventilation problems that allow exhaust fumes from fire trucks to waft into the offices upstairs.

In 2006, Iqaluit taxpayers defeated two ballot questions that asked for support for the city to borrow a total of $18 million over five years to build a pool, recreation facility and new city hall.

At the time, critics charged the city presented no plan on how to actually spend the money. That’s a problem city officials want to avoid this time.