(File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Nipawin council

Nipawin alters borrowing plan for infrastructure projects; heliport project nears completion

Sep 24, 2024 | 3:22 PM

The town of Nipawin has changed their plan to borrow money for three significant projects.

Council has rescinded a resolution made at their previous council meeting Sept. 9 that saw a long-term debt application to the Saskatchewan Municipal Board to borrow up to $4.5 million over a 10-year term.

The money was to be used for the decommissioning of the landfill, the completion of the Evergreen Drive water and sewer loop, and the water and sewer trunk extension on the south end of town at Highway 35 S.

Chief Administrative Officer Michele Sorensen told northeastNOW the change was made due to the anticipated timeline of one of the three projects.

“Since (Sept. 9), the engineers that are doing the water/sewer projects have advised us that the projects have been flagged for heritage review and flagged for additional review because Nipawin is not in their database,” Sorensen explained.

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She said they are confident the Evergreen Drive project will receive approval quickly; however, the project at Highway 35 S. may take a while because it is undeveloped land. The town then made the decision to separate the application to focus on the two projects that will be completed in the coming months. Once the town receives the heritage review and permits from CP Rail, they will proceed to send the Highway 35 project to the local government committee for approval.

“This (separation) just helps us get the two projects financed and on their way.”

Sorensen said the town was also excited to announce at Monday’s council meeting that the heliport project is nearing completion. Engineers should be in Nipawin by the end of the month to do their final checks, then turn the project over to Transport Canada who will do an inspection and the required training for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) staff. After that the heliport is turned over to the SHA and the site is open for STARS flights.

“We do still need to have some funds raised. We’re about three-quarters, about 75 per cent funded, so we are still looking for donations.”

You can donate toward the heliport at any of the Twin Lakes District Planning Commission municipalities, including the Town of Nipawin, Village of Codette, Village of White Fox, Town of Choiceland, Resort Village of Tobin Lake, and the RM’s of Torch River, Nipawin, and Moose Range. All of those partners can provide a tax receipt. You can e-transfer directly to nipawinheliportdonations@rmnipawin.ca. You can also email twinlakes.secretary@nipawin.com with any questions.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK