The City of Kingston says it’s dealing with a hefty price tag to fix electrical infrastructure damaged in the city’s Belle Park last month.
At Tuesday night’s virtual meeting, Kingston city council voted to make some repairs at Belle Park to the tune of $1.5 million.
The city says these repairers are needed after multiple incidents involving unhoused campers in the park they allege cut down hydro poles carrying live wires.
City staff say the pricey repairs will take away from other projects from the city’s Environment Reserve Fund.
“Typically, the Environment Reserve Fund would be utilized to support projects like property remediation. It would also support our Brownfield Program, or contribute to our landfill as well,” Kingston CAO Lanie Hurdle says.
“Those are funds we are not going to able to spend on those programs because we need to move forward with these repairs.”
The city also says work is needed on groundwater pumps after copper was allegedly stolen.
Kingston police are currently investigating the reported thefts and damage.