A lot happened this year in B.C.’s northern capital. City council and city staff are taking a look back on the activities and accomplishments achieved throughout 2019, and have released a list highlighting the city’s big moments of the year.
“On behalf of council, I would like to thank city staff for their continued hard work, excellence and service to our community,” says Mayor Lyn Hall in a news release.
“The snowplow operators, parks employees, city planners, engineers, utility crews, service centre representatives, and the rest of our committed city staff are a credit to our operation. The ‘year in review’ that follows represents just a few of the new initiatives and activities undertaken by council and employees in the past year. This goes along with the outstanding level of service staff provide the community, day in and day out. To the residents of Prince George, council wishes you a happy and safe holiday season, and a prosperous new year. As always, it is council’s privilege to serve our community.”
Some of the initiatives city council is highlighting include:
Building permit values continuing to break records
The year started with an economic bang with news in January that building permit values in Prince George broke the previous record by 26 per cent. The numbers reached an all-time high of $186.38 million, surpassing the previous high mark of $147.88 million set in 2007 by nearly $40 million — a 26 per cent increase. The value also included a record amount of private sector investment.
Then in November, less than a year after Prince George set records for both the number and total value of building permits in one year, the city announced that all new heights had been reached. The total value of building permits issued in Prince George through the end of October 2019 reached a new all-time high of $193.76 million, surpassing the previous high mark of $186.38 million set in 2018 — a four per cent increase with two months of the year remaining to be tallied.
Major progress in emergency planning
Throughout the year the city accomplished a number of initiatives related to emergency planning. In April, the city provided an update on progress made on the city’s Emergency Strategic Plan. This year was the first year of the plan, which is aimed at improving the city’s emergency readiness. The report included new evacuation zones to help emergency officials communicate with residents should a local evacuation order or alert be issued. These zones are based on the current city garbage collection map.
Then in May, the city hosted a series of training exercises in order to train staff, external agencies and emergency personnel and refine the City Evacuation Plan. In mid-May, the city hosted a “rehearsal of concept” drill at ice-level at the CN Centre, which included representatives from dozens of governments, agencies and industries. The drill staged a mock emergency scenario of a large wildfire moving towards the city.
In the same month, the city also hosted a public open house on the Community Wildfire Protection and Emergency Strategic Plan, aimed at helping to reduce the risk of wildfire in and around Prince George.
Then in June, the city began training upwards of 250 staff and other personnel in a new digital registration system that is meant to improve service and efficiency to evacuees and others requiring support services during times of emergency. During 2017 and 2018, Prince George welcomed a total of 14,000 wildfire evacuees all of which were registered through a paper-based system.
In July, the city and the Canadian Red Cross signed an agreement that will see the Red Cross become the lead organization delivering emergency support services in Prince George. Under this agreement, the Red Cross will provide emergency support services for Prince George residents displaced from their homes due to a local emergency. The Red Cross will also support the City of Prince George in larger emergency events. In the same month, School District No. 57 installed signs at 18 schools throughout Prince George to indicate their designation as official "Community Evacuation Assembly Locations" in the event of an evacuation.
Investments in ageing civic infrastructure
In March, the city announced that road rehabilitation investments over the past few years have significantly reduced both the number of potholes on city streets and the number of requests from residents to fix potholes. Since city council first increased the road rehabilitation budget from $3.5 million per year in 2011 to more than $5 million in 2012, the number of potholes crews have to patch each year has fallen by almost 70 per cent, from a high of 22,000 in 2012 to fewer than 7,000 last year.
In May, the city approved a new asset management policy that enables the city to identify and prioritize civic building systems in critical need of repair or replacement. This work has been accompanied by condition assessments that have recently been completed for every civic facility.
In June, the city announced the results of the alternative approval process held in the spring. Elector approval was received for 11 loan authorization bylaws, which allow the city to borrow $32 million to finance capital projects deemed essential for maintaining and enhancing infrastructure.
Two new city parks
In June, Prince George’s newest riverfront park officially opened. Nechako Riverside Park is on the north side of the Nechako River, at the Foothills Boulevard crossing. A highlight of the new park is the accessible trail to the river’s edge. The park also features numerous picnic tables, a canoe launch, new parking off Foothills and washroom facilities.
Then in August, the new Wood Innovation Square opened in downtown Prince George. It is the first new park space downtown since the creation of Canada Games Plaza. Wood Innovation Square is located on Fifth Avenue, adjacent to both the Wood Innovation and Design Centre and the Wood Innovation Research Laboratory. The park is equivalent to four city lots and features picnic tables, seating, and paths, along with trees, flowers and shrubs.
A proposal for integrated health care and affordable housing project on First Avenue
In August, the Government of British Columbia announced it is partnering with the city and Northern Health on an innovative proposal that would bring together new affordable housing and health-care services all in one facility to support people in Prince George. The proposed mixed-use development would be located on First Avenue, at the current location of NR Motors, and provide 100 housing units and a health-care space. A public hearing on the development is expected to be held in early 2020.
New pilot projects to provide washroom access and storage facilities downtown
In October, the city and a number of partners announced two new pilot projects aimed at providing much-needed washroom access and storage facilities for vulnerable and homeless people living in the downtown area. One pilot site, located at 181 Quebec St., provides access to storage, washroom and outreach services. The second pilot site, at 144 George St., provides access to storage, washrooms, outreach services and showers and laundry.
The establishment of new committees to address social issues affecting the downtown and poverty reduction
December has been a busy month for the city. On Dec. 2, the city held a public consultation with residents to receive feedback from the public on key issues, gaps and the work needed to address social issues throughout Prince George, with a focus on the downtown core. The city says the feedback gathered at the meeting will inform council’s budget deliberations for 2020 as well as the city’s coordination with partners and other levels of government.
Council then resolved to create a new committee to address the social issues affecting the community. At the Dec. 16 regular meeting, council established the new committee and is encouraging residents who are interested and feel they are qualified to put their names forward to be part of the committee.
You can find the full year-in-review on the city's website.
