Port Moody will strive to have a truth and reconciliation crosswalk in place by September.
But hopefully it won’t cost as much as the $100,000 budget being recommended for the project, says Jeff Moi, the city’s general manager of engineering and operations.
On Tuesday, Jan. 16, council’s strategic priorities committee agreed the crosswalk should be added to Port Moody’s corporate project plan for the coming year at a level two priority, although some councillors questioned the generous budget.
When the city installed a rainbow crosswalk at NewPort Village in 2019, the project's price tag was roughly $8,000.
Moi said the six-figure budget for a crosswalk to remind people about the First Nations communities impacted by Canada’s residential school system, as well as showing support for truth and reconciliation, assumes the installation could also require infrastructure improvements like repaving, the construction of curb bulges as well as the erection of signs and lighting.
“Hopefully it will come in less than that,” Moi said, adding the city would work with local First Nations communities to determine an appropriate location for the crosswalk.
Moi said the city would also need to commission an artist to design the project, increasing the expense.
Coun. Kyla Knowles said cost should be a consideration when choosing a location.
“If there’s going to be this many public works, perhaps we could put it somewhere that it wouldn’t cost as much.”
Coun. Amy Lubik said cost efficiency could be achieved if the crosswalk is located in a spot that’s already due for infrastructure upgrades.
“We must also be aware of where we need a crosswalk,” she said.
Mayor Meghan Lahti said the city is committed to a truth and reconciliation crosswalk, but it’s still early days to determine how much it will cost.
“We need to remember these are estimates,” she said. “My expectation is there will be no over-spending on anything.”
