Council committee endorses preliminary $31.1M design for landfill expansion, Recovery Park

Saskatoon city councillors have tentatively endorsed the design for a major new project at the landfill with a preliminary price tag of $31.1 million.

The project is made up of two components: the development of a new garbage cell on the eastern side of the Saskatoon Regional Waste Management Centre, and the creation of what the city has referred to as "Recovery Park" west of the landfill.

Recovery Park is meant to be a one-stop-shop for residents dropping off garbage, recyclables, household hazardous waste and other materials.

On Monday, councillors on the city's environment committee were presented with a series of design options for the larger project, including both the new cell and Recovery Park. The options ranged from the original price tag of $23.4 million to a maximum estimate of $40.8 million.

Councillors on the commmitee settled on Option 3, priced at $31.1 million, although city council as a whole still needs to give final approval at a meeting later this month.

The city had hoped Recovery Park would also include space for people to drop off yard waste, but Option 3 does not include that. Also, household hazardous waste will only be accepted on a certain number of days on a paved surface, as opposed to a dedicated facility for daily drop-off.

Committee members heard that the increased cost of the new landfill cell, and the cost of moving public-access areas of the landfill to Recovery Park, mostly accounted for the overall project's $8-million increase over the original $23.4 million estimate.

But city officials said that the site plan in Option 3 could always be expanded to include features in the more comprehensive Option 4. Among the options exclusive to Option 4 is a covered storage building capable of taking in mattresses, gently used items, electronics and other items that need protection from the weather.

Price tag to be refined

Saskatoon has a poor waste diversion rate compared to other cities. Recovery Park is expected to help with that.

"Option three is estimated to divert up to three to nineOlympic swimming pools of material from the landfill each year," said project manager Bryan Zerebeski.

• City of Saskatoon says too much garbage going to landfill

Should city council give final approval later this month, the price tag for Option 3 will be refined as time goes on, the committee heard.

But based on the current $31.1-million estimate, the city would borrow $18.2 million for the overall project.

In 2022, that could increase the mill rate by 0.32 per cent.

One aspect that concerned Mayor Charlie Clark was the amount of new city staff that would be required for Option 3, compared to current operations at the landfill.

"I want us to get the diversion [rate] up and we also want to make the strongest business case for the best model of investing in that," he said.