Additional funds totalling $250,000 for Phase 2 and 3 of remediation and revitalization and Harbour Rd. infrastructure projects were cleared Monday by Sarnia City Council.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley and Councillor Dave Boushy voted against the move.
"I'm frustrated and mad," said Boushy. "This is taxpayers money. $13-million we're already committed to, or has already been spent. I'll be honest with you, a lot of evenings I didn't sleep because that's a lot of money."
Councillor Matt Mitro said it's obviously a contentious issue in Sarnia.
"Many people will express, as councillor Boushy has, that they're upset by how much this has cost," said Mitro. "Clearly, no one wants it to cost anything more than an absolute minimum. When you decide that you will look for the outside agencies to direct you, you get what it is that we have got with Centennial Park. What people fail to understand in this is that they didn't come with money, they didn't come with direction, they didn't know what you should do about this. In fact , no one knew what you should do about this and so the whole process goes forward."
Mitro would like to see more focus on the finished product then the cost.
"We have a beautiful park that we're now enjoying again and were in the finishing it to wrap that up. We have the boat ramp issue coming. Fine, that's a separate thing. But in the scheme of things, it's pretty small," he said. "Here we are agonizing over $248,000. I do not know how we got here. I think it's ridiculous. We need to get on with it and start enjoying the park. Finish and move forward with the council business that matters."
Chief Administrative Officer Margaret Misek-Evans told council the money was needed to pay for additional costs accrued -- including fence rentals and repairing vandalism.
The funds will come out of the water reserve and federal gas tax reserve.
The total cost of remediation has hit $12.8-million, although installation of the new boat ramp remains stalled.
