TAMRMS#: B06
11.2
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Anti-Slip Standards and a Capital Budget Case
Notice given by: Councillor Hughes
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PROPOSED MOTION(S):
recommendation
On May 21, 2024, Councillor Hughes provided notice in accordance with section 119(3) of Procedure Bylaw 24/2022 that she intended to bring forward the following motion:
That administration engage with the seniors advisory committee regarding potential standards upgrades for safety slip prevention provisions to City-owned wooden boardwalks, wooden bridges, and wooden stairs and provide council a capital charter, as well as a summary of the feedback from the seniors advisory committee, by November 12, 2024.
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ADMINISTRATION’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTENT OF THE MOTION
Administration will engage with the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC) to identify potential updates to standards for slip prevention on City-owned wooden platforms, boardwalks, bridges, and active transportation structures. This will include a review of current anti-slip measures for the above-mentioned structures; investigation of options to enhance service level and/or standards, including associated budget impacts; service/standards recommendations; and a new capital charter for Council consideration.
PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of this report is to provide background information on the proposed motion.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Current State
Administration does not have any record of public concerns or complaints around slippery conditions or related service levels on any of the existing wooden structures. Slippery surfaces can be caused by any number of weather (e.g., rain, ice, snow) or environmental (e.g., change in temperature or humidity, piling of organic material) conditions and can be experienced on all types of surfacing used by pedestrians. Current engineering standards for wooden platforms, boardwalks, bridges, and active transportation structures do not have specific anti-slip standards but do consider general public safety through surface material selection, structure design, and/or operational controls.
BIR-24-28 provides estimates for adding anti-slip protection to the wooden platforms and boards in Grey Nuns White Spruce Forest. PM-24-35 provided funding and directed Administration to install anti-slip strips to the wooden platforms and boards in Grey Nuns White Spruce Forest. This work exceeded the approved budget, prompting Administration to request additional funding. As a result, Council directed Administration to cease action for installation of anti-slip strips to the wooden platforms and boards in Grey Nuns White Spruce Forest.
The City has an unidentified number of wooden platforms, boardwalks, bridges, and active transportation structures. Many of these structures are in environmentally-sensitive areas which limit the operational approaches to managing slippery conditions, such as salt, gravel, or sand applications. Mechanical applications (e.g., anti-slip strips, anti-slip sealers/paints) may have limited effectiveness when not combined with operational measures that would clear surface cover (e.g., ice, vegetative debris). Similarly, different types of mechanical applications would have varied maintenance requirements.
Proposed Motion Project Scope
Should Council support the recommended motion, the work would involve the exploration of mechanical and operational measures, and related financial impacts, which could be put in place to help mitigate environmental-related slip risks on wooden platforms, boardwalks, bridges, and active transportation structures. This work would include a review of the current practices of regional municipalities and similarly sized municipalities with comparable environments and parks systems. The work would also confirm the municipal inventory of relevant structures, explore costs at a system-wide level, and provide recommendations to Council for Administration to implement in future policy and/or standards updates as required. As required, a capital charter would be submitted for Council consideration.
The above work would be done in consultation with, at minimum, the SAC.
Potential Actions
Administration notes that the actions directed in this motion are normally initiated by Administration in response to documented safety concerns or changes to industry standards or trends. In this case, these normal triggers have not been identified. Considering this, Administration has confirmed three potential approaches for completing the work identified (managing potential slip hazards on wooden boardwalks, wooden bridges, and wooden stairs) and their related impacts.
IMPACTS OF MOTION
Financial:
There are no direct financial impacts related to this motion. Future capital and operational impacts can be anticipated in relation to Council action resulting from work detailed in the proposed motion. Alternate motions of Council could be considered in alignment with the options noted above which may have a financial impact.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
The proposed motion may establish altered engineering and service standards that could require additional or reprioritized resources. Through this work, attention would be given to mitigate unintended accessibility impacts.
Organizational:
There is currently insufficient expertise to complete this work in-house, and this work cannot be completed by the timelines in the proposed motion without external support and an extended timeframe for completion.
Risks:
Focusing engagement on the SAC may raise questions regarding adopting a more inclusive approach to understanding the issue. It is not typical that Administration engages committees of Council or public bodies in development of engineering or service standards. Should this group be engaged in this work, broader public engagement may be considered to ensure inclusivity which may require additional time and cost.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
None at this time.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
A.1 Access to Amenities
A.1.4 Parks, Open Spaces and Recreation Sites
A.1.4.a Parks and Open Spaces - A dedicated park or open space that may include a collection of recreation amenities and natural features that provides opportunities for scheduled and spontaneous use.
Terms and conditions are in alignment with the City of St. Albert Parks and Open Space Standards and Guidelines and the Active Transportation Plan, Municipal Engineering Standards, and Council Policy - C-IS-01: Snow and Ice Control.
D.3 Land Development
D.3.3 Recreation Facility and Park Development
D.3.3.a Parks and Planning Development - The process of using identified and demonstrated community need to plan and construct new and redeveloped park sites and amenities that reflect a wide variety of recreation, school, community services and conservation priorities.
Terms are as identified in the City of St. Albert Parks and Open Space Standards and Guidelines, the Active Transportation Plan, the Municipal Engineering Standards and the Municipal Development Plan.
E.2. Road Accessibility
E.2.1 Snow Removal
E.2.1.1 Snow Clearing and Ice Control - City snow and ice control for:
• Main, arterial collector, commercial and rural roads
• Collector, commercial and industrial roads
• Roads within the downtown core of St. Albert
• Parking lots and hard surface infrastructure
• Sidewalks, trails and bus stops
• Residential roads
Services are maintained as per Council Policy C-IS-01 Snow and Ice Control.
G.1 Asset Management
G.1.6 Recreation Asset Management Maintenance
G.1.g.f Recreation and Amenities Maintenance - Maintenance and upgrade of facilities and amenities to ensure safe, well-maintained, well-function facilities for residents’ enjoyment.
G.1.8 Transportation Network Asset Management Maintenance
G.1.8.g Maintenance of Sidewalks and Trials - Planning, budgeting and scheduling of appropriate preservation, restoration and rehabilitation activities to meet service levels and standards. Actual materials and processes are dependent on asset type, and most up to date condition level assessments and “need”.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
N/A
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Report Date: July 2, 2024
Author: John Reid, Manager, Development Engineering, and Craig Cameron, Manager, Parks & Community Partnerships
Department: Engineering and Recreation & Parks
Department Director: Dawny George, Director, Engineering, and Daniele Podlubny, Director, Recreation & Parks
Managing Director: Adryan Slaght and Diane Enger
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher