City council members heard a long list of benefits to improving the Wheeler Street area during a public hearing Monday evening.

Barbara Adam was the only delegate to address council at the hearing.

She spoke in favour of the proposed project, which would see reconstruction of the street from Fourth Avenue to the escarpment along with portions of Fifth, Seventh and Eighth avenues between Wheeler and Black streets.

The work is estimated to cost approximately $5.1 million, with $635,099 coming from a local improvement charge (LIC) that would be paid by the benefiting property owners.

The amount each property owner would pay is based on an equation that factors in the amount of frontage space and whether it’s commercial or residential property. A 15-year-payment period would be put in place for property owners

Property owners, who have been mailed ballots to vote on the LIC, must have them in to the city by Dec. 1. A vote of more than 50 per cent approval is needed for the LIC to go ahead.

Adam told council she’s been advocating for improvements to the street since moving there about nine years ago.

Drainage issues, insufficient lighting, dust and a lack of sidewalks are just part of a long list of issues for the street.

She pointed out that over the last decade, several drug dealers have left the area and the neighbourhood demographics have changed.

More families and young couples are moving into Old Town, she said, and a number of developments are increasing the density of the area.

The entire project would include:

• replacing water and sewer mains to meet current infrastructure standards and increase capacity;

• installing a recirculation system for water to deal with frost protection and improve efficiency;

• improved street lighting and landscaping;

• installing sidewalks on the north side of Wheeler between Sixth and the escarpment and on the east sides of Seventh and Eighth;

• putting new asphalt onto the streets and removing soil that is more frost-susceptible below the roadways; and

• constructing concrete curb and gutters that would improve drainage in the area.

That would mean both improved efficiency, services brought up to an acceptable and greater safety for all, she said.

Children would no longer have to bike in the roadway, Adam added.

She also highlighted the support of the Downtown Residents Associaiton in the city making the reconstruction of Old Town a priority.

City staff will put together a public input report on the hearing, including responses to any written submissions that came in.

Council will consider the input and ballot results on the LIC before voting on second and third readings.

If the project is approved, work would begin next spring.