Road paving: the City of Iqaluit thinks we’re fools

This letter is for the City of Iqaluit. Why are they not following through with the capital plan they promised the residents of Iqaluit?

Two weeks ago, the city engineers announced that paving in Iqaluit was completed and that five km of road was all we would get and that BBS would finish the second coat as well as Apex Road, and the Road to Nowhere. This would cost the city $4 million for a mediocre job. Among the reasons given was that they did not have the right ingredients to create perfect asphalt.

Are we being taken for fools? This is ridiculous!

Here are some facts that everyone should know.

1. Paving that was done 30 years ago is still good in some parts of the city, and has resisted harsher weather conditions that we have today;
2. The paving contract was given to a local bidder, BBS, a company that thought they could do paving. In front of Northmart, it took three days to get started. Their equipment is faulty and out-of-date. Their paving plant caught fire two or three times in the past;
3. Paving should be done in June or July when it’s warmer, and not in September or October when it snows or rains.
4. Paving should be done at night when all businesses are closed so that it’s safer to work and there is less traffic. In June and July it’s light out all night. There is no good reason that paving can’t be done at night;
5. An experienced crew is needed;
6. This city should have contacted. professional companies down south. It’s easy to assemble and disassemble a paving plant. They do it when they build highways.

We are the capital of Nunavut. The city has the responsibility and obligation to pave all roads in Iqaluit. If all roads are paved, I estimate the community can save an average of $300,000 a year in repairs, not including government vehicles and company vehicles.

Let’s look at how money was wasted. How much money did the street names cost? How much does it cost to keep the signs in storage? If we stop paving, how much money was wasted on surveyors?

We should have paved roads and sidewalks before street names. This is an example of irresponsible people wanting to look good.

It would be much easier if we could get everyone together to hire a crew from the South and do everything all at once. I guess it would be a better deal cost-wise. Remember, we must think ahead for the long-term future, and not a four-year mandate only. Roads should be wider, with three lanes in new subdivisions, not two.

To conclude, if the city doesn’t respect its capital plan, then it’s our duty as citizens to ask the Nunavut government to cancel the

$50-million capital plan.

The city has to stop pointing fingers at its citizens breaking rules and regulations, because the city is guilty of breaking its own rules. If we don’t inquire and dig deep, it will be hidden from all of us.

Robert Tailleur

Mark Hobson

Iqaluit