The City of Kimberley has revised its budget by separating the Civic Centre and Curling Rink chiller and compressor upgrades into a standalone project in an effort to increase its chances of securing a grant.
Previously included in a larger overhaul of the Civic Centre, which also encompassed board and glass replacements, the chiller and compressor upgrade was part of a project valued at over $2 million. However, the City faced challenges in securing grants for the full-scale initiative.
“We encountered difficulties obtaining funding for the larger project, which exceeded $2 million, so we decided to break it down into two separate projects,” said Mayor Don McCormick. “By isolating the chiller and compressor as a standalone project, we believe the risk management approach will improve our likelihood of receiving the necessary funding.”
To cover the costs of replacing the aging chiller unit, the City plans to allocate $1,069,650 from its reserve funds.
“This is a top priority for us, as the current system is ammonia-based,” McCormick explained. “Given the associated risks and past incidents with this type of unit, we’ve moved its replacement higher on our agenda for early 2025.”
Should the City be successful in its grant application, the total project cost will be substantially reduced.
“The grant we are applying for would cover 80 percent of the cost, leaving the remaining 20 percent to be funded by our general operating reserve, which is approximately $275,000,” McCormick said.
The Mayor emphasized that the funding for this project would not result in any tax increases. “There will be no impact on taxes, as the funds will come from reserves that have been accumulated over the past few years.”
The success of the project is contingent on receiving the grant, with McCormick hopeful for a response by April 2025.
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