By Erin Knutson

The City of Fernie is slated to complete the re-opening of the Elko Gravel Pit with an unanimous council decision to procure an extra $25,000 in funds for the project.

“To secure a source of sand, gravel and road base, re-opening the Elko gravel pit will require several permits, and because the permitting process can be lengthy, staff recommended the endorsement of the additional funding of $25,000 for this project to protect the city from future cost fluctuations for these essential materials,” said Manager of Public Works Stacia Selinger in a report to mayor and council.

The money would be taken from the general capital reserve, leaving the reserve balance at $617,236 until the end of the 2023 fiscal year.

Following an assessment by McElhanney Ltd. earlier this year on the feasibility of opening the pit, the city was advised that it was economically beneficial to source sand from the gravel pit based on the comparative costs of purchasing winter sand from an outside source.

Fernie traditionally sources from a supplier every three years to sand its winter roads at a favourable cost. Fluctuations in price vary per contract.

“In the 2020-2023 contract, the price was $33.13/m3. However, in 2019, the city did not secure a multi-year contract and paid $62.50/m3. In using external suppliers, Fernie is at risk of large price fluctuations for winter sand,” according to Selinger’s report.

After considering the options and determining from the economic analysis provided by McElhanney and staff recommendations on the advantages of opening the site while creating a useable road base, the mayor and council consented to the motion for additional funds.

“Acquiring a municipal source of winter sand, road base, and backfill material aligns with our corporate objectives to future-proof our community, invest in our core infrastructure and service delivery, and create long-term financial sustainability for the municipality from a local source.”

e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

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