Design work for a new Orillia Transit terminal will get underway after the city’s budget committee gave its approval at a meeting this week.
A detailed design for the terminal and parking structure, which will be built at the former Orillia OPP detachment at 66 Peter St. S., and the hiring of a consultant to help draw up a request for proposals will cost $600,000.
The work will be funded by the parking reserve ($200,000) and the transit equipment reserve ($400,000).
Coun. Ted Emond said he wanted the entire transit terminal project, including the demolition of the existing building, to be financed by external debenture rather than internal reserves because the city could likely recoup some costs later on.
Treasurer Jim Lang said staff are aware of the need to debt-finance the construction of the project — which is still a few years away — but noted there are sufficient reserve funds to cover the immediate costs.
Coun. Tim Lauer felt the request was premature.
“We haven’t really thought this one through,” he said, noting the detailed design is expected to take up to two years to complete and a city parking study is due before then. “I think we can take the time to maybe get this right because I am of the opinion that that is not where you want to invest significant parking dollars.”
Lauer also questioned whether the new terminal will have public washrooms and require full-time staff.
“I don’t know the answer to these things and I think we can afford to wait for that parking study and have a more fulsome discussion at that time,” he said.
Ian Sugden, director of development services and engineering, said the terminal will likely include public washrooms. It’s too soon to determine the level of staffing that will be required, he added.
Some council members expressed concern about the scope of the parking structure. The plan is to have three floors of parking spaces.
Coun. Pat Hehn was in favour of that plan.
“We keep encouraging the development of apartments above stores, and one of the things I’ve heard numerous times from store owners is that people don’t want to rent downtown because they’ve got no place to park their cars,” she said, adding that is a problem also faced by some who work downtown. “Down the road, we are going to lose other parking lots, so I’m looking to the future.”
Other transit projects that were approved by budget committee include the purchase of 81 security cameras for Orillia Transit buses. Each of the 11 conventional buses will be equipped with seven cameras. Four cameras will go on a specialized bus.
The cost is $80,000 and it will be funded from the transit equipment reserve ($22,000) and funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program ($58,000).
Budget committee also approved $54,000 for three new bus shelters. They will be located at University Avenue and Diana Drive ($20,000), Barrie Road and Marlisa Drive ($20,000) and Front Street at the entrance to Metro ($14,000).
The cost of purchasing and installing the shelters will be covered by the transit equipment reserve ($15,000) and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program ($39,000).
All of budget committee’s decisions will be up for ratification at a special council meeting Dec. 7.
Keep an eye on OrilliaMatters for more coverage from this week's capital budget discussions.
