Kamloops council is pushing for the start of a pedestrian overpass that would stretch over Summit Drive, but the project is no closer to being built than it was a year ago.
During the Tuesday meeting, Kamloops council was told that the city and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) were still in the process of nailing down the location.
The city and university are splitting the costs of the $10 million overpass.
After an unsuccessful grant application in 2022, the city agreed to provide $5 million towards the project from the federal Growing Communities grant in January 2023
“With funding sources secured, the City and TRU started correspondence on project delivery, with TRU requesting consideration to look at a potential location 160 metres further south along Summit Drive, closer to the crosswalk at the McGill Road and Summit Drive intersection,” a staff report said.
However, the location was assessed in both 2012 and 2022 but was deemed less desirable.
In March 2022, the city and university signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which outlined funding and also specified the location of the overpass.
“The MOU also stated that the bridge location would be 275 metres north of McGill Road as per both the 2012 and 2022 studies,” said Purvez Irani, the city’s transportation manager.
Irani told council discussions continued throughout summer 2023 because the university wanted the overpass to be closer to the crosswalk at the McGill Road and Summit Drive intersection.
In 2023, TRU requested that an updated origin-destination study be completed to confirm findings from the 2012 engineering report, which was completed in September 2023.
The city and university met in October to review the results, which confirmed the initial findings from 2012 and 2022 – that the location 275 metres north of McGill Road was more desirable.
“Most recently, we were informed by TRU that they have a hired consultant, because the wish is that we should do another review for the project,” Irani said, adding that the review is expected to be completed by April.
According to the staff report, this could impact the funding the city provided because the cost estimate of $10 million was provided in 2022 for an unsuccessful grant in take and the 2023 Growing Communities Grant report specified a construction timelines of 2027 to 2028.
The back and forth with the university frustrated several councillors.
“I’m bothered by TRU, which said in 2023 that this could be built in two years, we were gung-ho (...) Now they’re playing games, now they’re talking of other locations,” said coun. Dale Bass.
“I only voted for it because I thought it was going to happen. When I start hearing partners we're dealing with saying, ‘Let’s talk about. Let’s talk about that. Maybe let’s get another study,’ I start wondering if anything’s ever going to happen.”
Irani added that the city was confident in its decision to support the northern location, which was based on engineering reports from multinational companies.
Coun. Nancy Bepple shared similar sentiments.
“Where it's been proposed twice in the last 13 years is the place we should build it,” she said.
“I just hope TRU doesn't give up on this great opportunity to have half of it paid for by essentially the taxpayers of Kamloops – and it will benefit everybody.”
Coun. Bill Sarai agreed with his council colleagues, adding that he thought the university was being selfish.
“I agree with councillor Bepple. This change at the last minute to force us to move the location is a sole move for a benefit to TRU and its student housing,” said coun. Sarai.
“They’re not looking at any benefit for the city. It is, in my words, they're trying to impose a selfish want on us and I think we have to be careful. If we want to be community partners, let’s be community partners.”
Council voted in favour of sending a letter to the university seeking clarity on the study but also that the city’s support for the project was based on the northern location and they weren’t interested in changing their minds.
