City hall is catching a $1-million break in the installation of a new stormwater main that will proceed along the Selkirk Street right-of-way toward the Yukon River.

The city had identified $1 million in this year’s capital budget to cover its contribution toward the estimated $4.2 million project being managed by the Yukon government.

“Since then, YG has funded the project through federal funding and was able to secure a funding agreement for the full amount of the project, negating the need for the city to contribute financially,” says the administrative report provided to council at its meeting Monday.

“The city’s contribution has since been reduced to participating in design reviews and quality assurance during upcoming construction, which is tentatively scheduled to commence in 2021 and likely will be completed in 2022.”

The stormwater main will run from the Alsek-Lewes intersection to the river. It’s expected to greatly improve drainage at the intersection.

Installation of the stormwater main was reviewed by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board.

The board recommended approval of the project, and the Yukon government and Infrastructure Canada accepted the recommendation on Feb. 4.

City council is being asked to authorize Mayor Dan Curtis to sign a service agreement for the project with the Yukon government. The matter is scheduled to return to council for a vote at its meeting next Monday.

The government has already completed substantial clearing of the route. It runs along the side of Selkirk Street, then cuts across behind the Gadzoosdaa Student Residence and continues on past the Whitehorse Fish Hatchery to the river.

Meanwhile, a local resident expressed her dismay with all the clearing that has taken place.

“Many residents were shocked over the weekend to see a section of the boreal forest along the Millennium Trail completely destroyed for this work,” says a written submission to council by Jenny Trapnell that was read out at Monday’s meeting.

“It looks like the Yukon government as the proponent has clearly done an ‘overkill’ here. Efforts to obtain information from the City of Whitehorse on this degradation have raised a few questions, also.”

In her submission, Trapnell asks what city’s role is in protecting significant environmental heritage and recreational values in this area.

She asks what input the city provided to the assessment board. (The city did not make a submission to the board.)

“There was no public signage or notification to residents and trail users during the assessment process or during the bulldozing,” she says.

Trapnell asks in her submission how this unique and significant area can be protected for present and future generations.

The project involves laying a new stormwater main from the intersection most of the way.

Toward the end of the 472-metre route though, the main will empty into an 84-metre trench that will be lined with strips of vegetation and obstacles to slow down and help purify the water before it reaches the outfall into the river.

The system will also be fitted with an oil and grit separator to capture hydrocarbons.