City council has agreed to partner with the Kwanlin Dün First Nation on the reconstruction of Tlingit Street in the Marwell industrial area.

Council voted unanimously in favour of the partnership agreement at its meeting Monday evening.

The partnership is being lauded as an example of how the city and Kwanlin Dun can work together on projects of mutual benefit.

The city has budgeted $6.3 million for the reconstruction work.

The project includes new underground sanitary mains, storm sewers, concrete curb and gutter and a new asphalt surface from Platinum Road to Copper Road.

“The construction of this project is funded by a combination of city reserves, the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program funded by the federal and territorial governments, and a contribution from the Kwanlin Dün First Nation,” says the administrative report prepared for council.

“This is a unique partnership scenario with all four levels of government contributing to a project. The project is in keeping with the Declaration of Commitment with local First Nations to seek out partnerships for economic opportunities.”

Tlingit Street runs in front of Lot 226, or commonly referred to as Kwanlin Dun’s old village site, which has been fenced off.

Under the agreement, Kwanlin Dun will contribute $400,000 of pit run gravel and crushed aggregate.

Kwanlin Dun is to stockpile the material at its McLean Lake pit, and the city will be responsible for transporting it to the construction site.

Should the city require more gravel, the agreement stipulates it shall buy the material from the First Nation in an amount not to exceed $100,000.

The agreement approved by council waives the public bidding process for the additional supply of gravel if needed.

It also allows the city to stockpile on Lot 266 any clean, granular material it needs to excavate during the reconstruction project, though it must be deemed to be free of any hydrocarbons and such.

Completion of the underground and surface work is scheduled for this year, with landscaping to follow next year.

Coun. Laura Cabott noted the project benefits Kwanlin Dun by opening up the door to the development of Lot 266 while providing the city with the ability to procure the supply of granular material.

In keeping with the requirement to ensure physical distancing in these days of COVID-19, the council chambers were closed to the general public for Monday’s meeting, as it was last week for the first time.

Deputy mayor Dan Boyd chaired the meeting and was the only member of council in the chambers. Mayor Dan Curtis and the other members of council participated by phone.

The six elected councillors take turns serving as deputy mayor, in stints of two months at a time.