From arenas to street lights, only half of Kitchener’s non-core assets are in good, very good repair

When it comes to everything from community centres, to street lights, to the elevators in the city’s buildings, the City of Kitchener has $2.4 billion worth of non-core assets — and slightly less than half are listed in “good” or “very good” condition.

That’s part of a staff report coming to the city’s Finance And Corporate Services Committee, Monday afternoon.

About $92 million worth of non-core assets are listed in “very poor” condition, and $652 million are listed as “poor.”

Non-core assets are cemeteries, parking lots, parks & trails, golf courses, forestry, and the fleet of vehicles.

Core assets include roads, bridges, wastewater and storewater infrastructure, and gas utilities.

Of the non-core assets, Ryan Hagey, Director of Asset Management & Financial Planning, told CityNews 570 that the assets in the best condition are the newest, citing the Huron Community Centre as an example.

The assets in the worst condition, he said, are the oldest, including facilities, and components like elevators and HVAC systems, “at the end of their expected useful lives.”

Hagey said, “All of the assets are still functioning and delivering valued services to the community.”

An email from Hagey said, “Over the next year we will be developing proposed levels of service that will help us better determine what work needs to be completed and how much it will cost. In the meantime, the City will look for ways to provide more funding for asset renewal and look to other levels of government to supply funding as well.”

The Committee meets at 2:00 p.m. on Monday in council chambers.