The long-running rejuvenation of the Swift Current Creek near Regier Honda now has an end date, as Swift Current city council approved the funding for the final few pieces.

Back in May, the city, province and the federal government entered into the intial agreement; an ICIP (Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program) 6 million dollar deal for a myriad of projects in and around the Swift Current Creek. New paths, creek rehabilitation and other tasks have been slowly moving through that funding since then, culminating in perhaps the biggest project; that of a new boardwalk constructed near Regier Honda.

A Request for proposals was sent out in August for this last portion, with four submissions being received. One of which, that of a local contractor, did not meet the requirements, which included Bid Bonds, Safety Forms, Pricing Forms and other necessities.

In the end, however, the winning tender, Harbilt Construction out of Moosomin Saskatchewan, will in fact be using a local business to source the prefabricated structure and deck of the new boardwalk.

At a total cost of just over 1.3 million, the project will be underway shortly and, according to Harbilt, will be completed by December 31, 2021, in order to satisfy the deadline for the ICIP Active Transportation Agreement.

The approval was not without some controversy, however, as Councillors Tom Christianson and John Wall both expressed their consternation at not being given enough time to look at the numbers involved as the order was amended into the meeting agenda at the last minute.

Mayor Bridal responded that he had asked the administration to get the amendment in despite the short notice because of the rapidly approaching deadline imposed by the ICIP program.