Alberta's Minister of Transportation Ric McIvor met with Lac La Biche County officials to start the week, discussing on-going plans that could see the municipality take ownership of the provincial highways that run through two of its larger centres.
McIvor was meeting with council and administrators via a virtual link on Monday, in ongoing talks on de-gazetting provincial highways that currently run through the hamlets of Lac La Biche and Plamondon. Highways 55 and 36 converge in downtown, Lac La Biche, with a portion of the community's Main Street falling under provincial control. In Plamondon, Highway 858 runs north-to-south through that community. In both instances, the provincial ownership of the roadways puts an additional layer of red-tape into any decision municipal leaders have when it comes to projects along the roadways.
This year, Lac La Biche County council has earmarked millions of dollars to help begin a complete overhaul of aging water and sewer pipes under the Main Street. While that infrastructure project is playing out, officials are also planning to makeover the downtown area with new sidewalks and a more modernized streetscape.
Part One this year
The first phase of the project — slated to begin this year — will see utility services upgraded along the western portion of Main Street from 105 Street at the Almac Hotel to 103 Street at the Squirrely's gas bar. The first phase will also include a revitalization of the Richard Devonian Park, a small greenspace along the stretch of roadway. Initial design plans for the park area are expected to create a more interactive space for families and incorporate many of the design features slated for the rest of the downtown makeover.
The first phase of the project will be a bit of a litmus test for the remaining phases that are planned over the next three years, says county councillor and Lac La Biche and Chamber of Commerce liaison Lorin Tkachuk. The first phase will be a test for the province's willingness to hand over the roadway's control to the municipality, as well as a test to see the extent of traffic disruptions, and how new streetscape designs will look. Responding to a few recent questions from downtown businesses about the planned project, Tkachuk said before council and businesses can focus on any disruptions to downtown businesses that a large-scale construction project would have, they first have to finalize discussion with the provincial government.
"We don't own the Main Street. It's still under control of the province," Tkachuk told the 15 attendees at last Thursday's Lac La Biche and District quarterly meeting. During the virtual meeting, Tkachuk gave an update on the estimated $20 million project, saying it wasn't all going to happen in one year, so downtown businesses wouldn't be affected by a complete shutdown of the Main Street roadway. "There has been a little bit of worry that we were going to be tearing up the entire Main Street this year — just so everybody is aware, that is not the case."
While the first phase has been granted approval from the province, Tkachuk says the work will "give us a good outlook of what we can expect for the next two phases, which we are hoping to have done in the next three years, and phase one will dictate how that is going to look going forward."
Lac La Biche County CAO Ken Van Buul said the meeting with McIvor is hoped to continue the discussions toward taking control for important community roadways under provincial control.
"We are certainly hoping that we've got some good news coming to us on the front of what we are dong with de-gazetting and gaining control over the Main Street and some of the other roads — Highway 36, which dissects the community ... so hopefully there's some good news coming on the horizon," he said.
McIvor is also the current provincial minister responsible for Municipal Affairs.
LakelandToday will have an update on the recent meeting with McIvor.