Rocky View County will be seeking approval to help fund five infrastructure projects through the Municipality Stimulus Program (MSP) of Alberta Municipal Affairs. 

Last week, the county council gave the go-ahead to apply to use $4,684,300 in stimulus funding to support infrastructure projects expected to cost $6.2 million. Approval to complete the projects with the funding is required from the province.

It proposes to pave the existing West Bragg Creek Trail from Balsam Road to the Bragg Creek bridge along the West Bragg Creek Road at a cost of $800,000. The trail forms part of the Trans Canada Trail and connects the hamlet to Kananaskis Country.

In addition, it wants to invest $1 million in lifecycle maintenance projects for county-owned pathways and trails. Key alignments include Langdon park, Langdon, Elbow Valley, Calling Horse Estates and Dewitt's pond.

It wants to extend water service to the Langdon fieldhouse from Centre St. at a cost of $150,000.

Also proposed is the widening (and overlay) of the Cross Iron Drive from Dwight McLellan Trail to Range Road 291 at a cost of $2.25 million, of which $1,515,700 will be derived from the county's transportation offsite levy reserve and $734,300 from the stimulus program.

County officials say the road currently supports more than 2,500 vehicles per day and demand is expected to increase.

The county wants to extend the water line from the Conrich pump station to the Prince of Peace lands to support existing residents and new growth. The entire project is estimated to cost $5 million with the initial $2 million for detailed engineering and initial construction costs. The additional $3 million will be funded through a local improvement tax and/or developer contribution.

All these projects were on the town's capital project list without funding sources determined until the stimulus funding program was launched.

Recently, Municipal Affairs announced the stimulus funding would be provided on a per capita basis for all Alberta municipalities. Smaller ones are guaranteed to receive $50,000.

Originally, they accepted a shortlist of projects from all Alberta municipalities. An overwhelming response saw a change in how funds would be disbursed in an equitable manner.

The Town of Cochrane is eligible for $3,480,131 from the program. Council will soon be reviewing possible projects to undertake with the funding windfall.

Cochrane will need to make the province aware of projects it wants to undertake no later than Oct. 1 or lose it.

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