Kin Park will continue to glow up, after Fort St John city council voted to upgrade, and add overlay, to some of the trail, which saw lighting upgrades earlier this summer.
During their August 11 regular council meeting, Fort St John city council unanimously awarded the contract for the work on Kin Park’s path to Northern Legendary Construction Ltd., a local group.
Staff’s report said the price of the project is higher than the originally approved budget of $1.1 million, with their estimate suggesting a total cost of $1.25 million, to make up the deficit, staff suggested using funds from the city’s earlier lighting project, which came in $162,000 under budget, or the contingency funds they set aside.
Now that the contract has been awarded, city staff can begin arranging for construction to begin in Kin Park and the surrounding areas.
This new project will bring 300 metres of new trail and will provide overlay to 1000 metres. Crews will also add a prefabricated bridge – this type of bridge is constructed off-site, then installed after being brought to the park.
Kin Park’s upgrades are partially due to the popularity of the location for community-hosted events, recreation, and the daily use by young students who walk to Bert Ambrose Elementary School, which is located across the road from the park’s 96 Street border.
The city’s already-complete lighting project was also for students who walk to school during the short, dark winter days – though all residents will benefit from the safer walking trails.
Before construction begins, city staff said they will contact local businesses who will be impacted, and updates will be posted on Fort St John’s website – the city did not provide an estimate for when the project will be complete.
