It passed with barely a whimper. Elliot Lake City Council has wrapped up this year's city 2020 Capital Budget.
"We did have one final meeting just to go over capital again as we hadn't gone through it since the early part of the year, prior to COVID-19," Ad Hoc Budget Committee Chair Norman Mann said at Monday night's virtual Council meeting.
"We did review the projects and there were no significant changes made to the original.presentation of the budget which we had guessed when we were discussing Operating (Budget)."
"I guess the only comments; we will be moving into 2021 now, and we have a concise workbook to work from. There's no need to go back to carry forward from 2017, 2018, 2019. So we have a framework and objectives for this year."
Addressing city staff, Mann said, "Thanks for getting it ready. I look forward to a couple of months of break from budget and we get back into it. I am so happy in supporting it this evening."
Councillor Ed Pearce was assured that starting work on the planned Spine Road subdivision is on the Public Works radar. Addressing Director of Public Works Darrel Halloch he said, "I noticed that Spine Road is not included in the Capital Budget. But I know the council wants to move ahead in that and I've had discussions with Mr. Halloch on the subject."
"I think there's money in there for another project after Poplar-Pine is done. I want to make sure that we transfer that money to the Spine Road project as opposed to another side street somewhere."
Halloch assured Pearce that Spine Road is on the table for being prepped for servicing this year.
On another topic, like most communities, Elliot Lake has had to make many adjustments this year in its planning and execution of this year's Canada Day/Uranium Heritage Days celebrations.
At Monday night's virtual council meeting, Elliot Lake Recreation and Culture Director Teresa Dunlop told Council this year's plans include home and yard decorations to commemorate the summer holiday.
She said entries are being accepted from people who want to put up their Christmas lights again and children who want to decorate their bikes, wagons, and.other gear, in Canadian red and white.
Dunlop continued, "The Canada Day Contest, we're very excited. We're starting to get some registrations rolling in. So it's just a matter of putting back up your Christmas lights and getting some white and red hockey sticks, or whatever you have, and decorating your lawn."
"Children are invited to decorate their bicycles or wagons or whatever it is and put it out in front of their house. We have a contingent of judges that are going to go around and look at these wonderful prideful kinds of celebrations."
"There are some lawn signs that are going to recognize people for their efforts. Then we have community leaders that are going to be driving around on Canada Day between 2 and 5 p.m. They're going to be following the pathways to see all of the wonderful pride and nationalism that we have going on here in Elliot Lake."
Dunlop added, "There are going to be virtual fireworks. The details are just not quite together yet. The people who usually do our fireworks are working with Eastlink Channel 10 and we hope they'll be able to upload it, even onto our website so that people can enjoy the Canada Day fireworks, even in a virtual way."
Dunlop said both Spruce and Spine Beaches will be open with lifeguards in place this weekend, continuing through Canada Day. "It will be supervised for the weekend for sure with all safety protocols in place."
Go online to the Elliot Lake city website to "Uranium Heritage Days" to register for the Canada Day contest. Judging will take place on the afternoon of June 29.