GORE BAY—The Town of Gore Bay has had its funding application approved to fix the problem with some local residents’ water lines freezing in the winter.
“This relates to our application for OSWAP (Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program) funding. Originally we were going to install water meters (throughout the town), but this was then revised to fix the water lines for those people who have experienced the freezing lines issue and we have been approved for this funding,” explained Gore Bay Mayor Ron Lane at a council meeting last week.
Town clerk Annette Clarke informed council that for the initial water meter project the town had applied for funding of $381,142.08 and received funding of $254,107. With feedback from members of the community the town applied for a change in scope for the project to have repairs done to fix those residences whose water lines freeze in the winter. The Town had applied for $456,774, but will receive a maximum of $254,107 in funding. The town will not know what the exact costs of the project will be until it receives bids through a request for proposals from companies on the work to be carried out.
Any costs above the funding provided to the town of $254,107 will be provided by the town through its reserves.
Until the town receives bids based on the RFP for the work to be done, “we don’t know what the actual costs will be at this point,” said Mayor Lane.
Ms. Clarke pointed out that 36 people in Gore Bay have been affected with freezing water lines in the winter.
“The decision to look at fixing the freezing water lines came out of the meeting we had with members of the public who indicated they were not interested in water meters at this time, but said they wanted us to fix the freezing water lines,” said Mayor Lane.
