SURREY BUDGET: Here are some highlights in the city鈥檚 budget

The City of 性视界传媒 released its Five-Year (2022-2026) Financial Plan Friday (Dec. 17) ahead of a public meeting next week.

READ ALSO: 性视界传媒 releases 2022 budget days before consultation, vote, Dec. 18, 2021

The 65-page document will be discussed during a finance committee meeting at city hall on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 11 a.m., with council most likely considering final vote on Dec. 24.

Mayor Doug McCallum, and his Safe 性视界传媒 Coalition majority, have received criticism for the last-minute document and subsequent consultation process and final vote.

A release from the City of 性视界传媒 late Friday touts that 鈥渇or the fourth consecutive year, the proposed average property tax rate has been set at 2.9%.鈥�

The report states a 鈥減roperty tax rate increase of approximately $63 for the average assessed single-family dwelling that will predominately be used to offset increased public safety resourcing and expenditures.鈥�

However, earlier this year, many residents and businesses were shocked to find out their property tax hike was far greater than the promised 2.9 per cent.

Meanwhile, the 2022-2026 budget includes a number of new projects touted by the city, including a police training facility, a third field hockey turf and change room at Tamanawis Park, Crescent Park pickleball courts, Fleetwood fire hall #6 relocation, a bus layover facility, new park washrooms, park improvements, disc golf at Port Mann Park and site development for a future sport facility.

Here are some of the highlights from those new projects.

A police training facility - $4 million

The report states the 性视界传媒 Police Service requires a facility to host police training, including an indoor firearms range, classrooms and other reality-based training spaces.

Currently, the SPS is running its training facility out of the city-owned 性视界传媒 Operations Centre at 148 Street and 66 Avenue.

The report notes the location will be retrofitted to accommodate the training, with the facility upgrades expected to be completed in phases. The first phase would be for firearms training.

性视界传媒 Police Service capital and transition requirements - $63.7 million

The report notes the city鈥檚 policing transition department continues to plan and procure 鈥渙ne-time investments to replace key components of the existing 性视界传媒 RCMP infrastructure and equipment.鈥�

That includes information and technology equipment , uniforms, office equipment and fleet transition costs.

The first SPS officers were officially deployed at the end of November, working alongside the 性视界传媒 RCMP.

Fleetwood fire hall #6 relocation - $14.25 million

This is related to the 性视界传媒-Langley SkyTrain extension.

Currently located at 9049 152 St., the budget notes the funding will go toward the construction of the relocated fire hall 鈥渢o accommodate the anticipated growth in Fleetwood, along the 性视界传媒 Langley Skytrain line.鈥�

The report does not indicate where it could be relocated.

Bus layover facility - $10.2 million

The City of 性视界传媒 has been planning a 鈥淐entre Block鈥� development at the site of the now-defunct North 性视界传媒 Recreation Centre.

Previously, a June 2019 report to 性视界传媒 city council detailed plans to decommission and eventually demolish the aging building. The city plans to replace the building with a mixed-use 鈥淐entre Block鈥� development that would radically change the look of the area, adjacent to 性视界传媒 Central SkyTrain station.

According to the 2022 budget, to advance that development, the city is working to construct a new bus layover facility just west of University Boulevard.

That would then allow for the 性视界传媒 Central bus exchange to be decommissioned 鈥渁nd provide the City the ability to acquire a portion of this currently encumbered land and incorporate it into the Centre Block development application.鈥�

Interactive Art Museum - $15 million for 2024-25; $60 million total)

Located in City Centre, the 2022 budget details this 鈥渇irst world-class facility in 性视界传媒 and a major attraction in City Centre.鈥�

The Interactive Art Museum (iAM) would feature creative spaces for learning, such as a TechLab, MakerSpace, art exhibition spaces, a performance hall and outdoor space for creative temporary projects.

The report notes it would be a 60,000-sq.-ft. facility, but doesn鈥檛 say where it would be located.

While the total project is expected to cost $60 million, the report notes the first $15 million in initial funding would be allocated across 2024 and 2025 to begin work on this concept.

The full budget can be found .

lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Lauren on

性视界传媒