By Mark Squibb
Bay Bulls council this week approved a number of upgrades to the ongoing construction of the Long Pond Walking Trail.
Councillor Ethan Williams moved to ratify an earlier e-mail vote of council to approve a change order for the installation for additional culverts and landscaping at a cost of $7,000 plus HST. Williams also moved that council ratify a second e-mail vote of council to install lights along a 1.3 kilometre stretch of trail, at a cost of $41,800, HST included. Bay Bulls is on the hook for $22,642, with the rest cost-shared with the provincial government.
Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien added the goal is to install lights along the whole length of the trail from start to finish. Mayor Keith O’Driscoll said the lighting will be a great addition to the project.
Later in the meeting, council approved the purchase of $2,373, plus HST, worth of building materials from Hickey’s Timber Mart to build six benches and two garbage boxes to be placed along the trail.
Councillor Williams said he was glad to see council purchase from a local business, while O’Brien noted that all three bids were close.
The materials will be delivered to inmates at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary, who will assemble the benches and boxes.
“This gives some incarcerated adults an opportunity to hone their skills while they are completing whatever sentencing they are required to,” said Town Manager Ashley Wakeham. “It’s always nice to see a program like that that helps people better themselves for when they do actually get released back into society.”
Just over a million dollars has been allocated for the project thus far, much of which has come courtesy of the provincial and federal governments.
