Two more important steps have been taken in the establishment of a memorial space that honours one of Belleville’s foremost leaders in medical innovation.

City Council awarded a $145,770 contract to Madison Excavating and Landscaping Enterprises Inc. for work on the Dr. James Collip Courtyard and Reflection Garden at its meeting on Monday, and approved the insertion of an additional $22,000 in donations from the Dr. James Collip Memorial Committee to the city’s 2021 capital budget.

Council had initially approved $110,000 during this year’s budget discussions for the project and the extra money provided will help to move the fundraising portion of the project forward.

In a report to council, city parks supervisor Rowland Cave-Browne-Cave, the project’s scope and timeline had to be revised at the behest of the committee.

The committee will continue its fundraising efforts with the hope of finishing the reflection garden portion in 2022.

The space will be located down on the Bayshore Trail, a little bit south of Belleville General Hospital, according to Mayor Mitch Panciuk.

"If you look at our materials from the capital budget this year, there were graphics of the big black panels that will be there that are granite. They'll be carved, and they're going to look really good.

Collip was remembered as one of the founders of insulin, mainly used to help people with diabetes, alongside colleagues Frederick Banting and Charles Herbert Best.

Staff is anticipating the first part of the project will be tentatively finished on October 1, 2021.