Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Work will soon begin on the Wellington elevated water storage tank. Council awarded the contract to Landmark Structures Co. on Tuesday night during their regular council meeting for the construction of an elevated water storage tank and bulk water filling station at a cost of $9,002,000. This is over-budget by almost $1 million and the budget increase of $992,772.15 will be funded by long-term debt.
Council will examine a $9,002,000 cost for the construction of Wellington’s water storage tank and bulk water filling station – over budget by $992,772. For Tuesday night’s council meeting, a staff report recommends a contract be awarded to the sole bidder, Landmark Structures Co. Garrett Osborne, project manager, notes in his report to council that the number of companies that construct these tanks is limited, so a single bid was not unexpected. In response to concern about low water pressure and the ability to handle future development, capital work reports were brought to council in 2019 for discussion. In the 20-year plan, the cost for water system improvements were estimated at $10-15 million – those costs were expected to be higher now mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain costs. The 1960s water system in Wellington has been modified over the years.
