Leadership with the City of Kenora has authorized spending up to $330,000 in emergency funds to replace the water line going into the Kenora Recreation Centre.
Chief Administrative Officer, Kyle Attanasio, explains that the water line servicing the Rec Centre from 1st Ave South to north of the boat launch access lane is over 50 years old and in need of replacement, which was confirmed in an exploratory dig earlier this year.
The city’s report on the issue shows about 50 m of the line was repaired in 2014, but the 2014 repair work and the 1968 original line have both deteriorated beyond the scope of repair work after deep freezing over the winter season.
Attanasio notes due to the water service line not being operational, portions of the Rec Centre have not been meeting Ontario’s Building Code fire protection requirements with their existing temporary water lines – and the main service line must be repaired immediately.
The city’s CAO says the new line will be reinstalled on a new alignment, allowing for a deeper burial depth. The new line will also be insulated and heat traced, with the hopes that the additions will help to prevent any freezing in the future.
Attanasio has authorized up to $330,000 in emergency repair work, as Council continues to be in a ‘Lame Duck’ period due to the upcoming municipal election. The city gave Attanasio the power to authorize any spending above $50,000 in early September.