Splash park repair bill alarms Tache council

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This article was published 24/05/2017 (2527 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A $20,000 repair bill for Lorette’s splash park elicited audible groans from RM of Tache councillors Tuesday, leading to a call for a subsequent in-camera discussion over the possibility of pursuing legal action against those responsible for failing to properly winterize the water feature last fall.

A May 23 email from Ful-Flo Industries Inc. to CAO Christine Hutlet contained a list of necessary repairs totalling $20,200 before taxes. At $10,275, replacing a seized feature pump was the priciest item on the list.

“This kinda hurts,” exclaimed Councillor George McGregor.

Hutlet explained $1,700 has been spent so far on frozen water line repairs and routine inspections. The RM had budgeted $3,500 for splash park repairs this year, she told council.

Mayor Robert Rivard later explained, “Everything froze underneath, and now we know a pump is shot…we don’t know what other damage is done because until we start up the pump, we don’t know if there’s leaks in the pipes.”

Councillor Jacques Trudeau asked for a recorded vote on a resolution to authorize $25,000 for splash park repairs, drawn from recreation reserves. It was carried 5-3, with councillors George McGregor, Andy Rivard, and Jacques Trudeau voting in opposition.

“I think we should talk about legal action in camera,” said Councillor Armand Poirier.

Speaking after the vote, Rivard said the repairs will delay the splash park’s opening by a couple of weeks.

“We’ll get it up and running this year for sure,” he said.

Rivard explained the municipality was told by the community centre’s former facility supervisor, Greg Ewasko, that the splash park had been winterized. Regarding legal action, Rivard said he favoured waiting to see whether evidence indicates deliberate negligence was a factor.

Five weeks ago, the community centre board voted to dissolve its corporation and hand financial and operational control over to the RM of Tache.

Winterization problems plagued the splash park two years ago, Rivard said, adding the municipality’s trained utility staff will know how to properly shut down the facility this fall.