Construction season has been in full swing in the Town of Bonnyville, and some projects are expected to be wrapping up soon.
CAO Mark Power noted the municipality’s paving and patching program throughout town is almost finished, which addressed issues such as pot holes. The annual development had $1.5-million put toward it in the 2019 budget.
The town’s construction on 47 St. and 49 St., by Duclos School from 54 Ave. to 51 Ave., are ongoing and being completed by High Mountain Hoe Service Co., a Sundre-based construction and renovation company.
It includes upgrades to the sanitary, water, and storm utilities, along with utility service connections to property lines, concrete infrastructure, and roadway construction.
Once all of the underground work is complete, Cold Lake-based E Construction Ltd. will repave the street.
“One of those (roads) is the main access road for the buses to go into Duclos School,” noted Power. “We’re targeting to be done before school opens up again, but, if not, of course, we’ll accommodate the buses.”
According to Power, the town put aside $3.7-million to complete the upgrades and construction for the 47 St. and 49 St. jobs.
Along 54 St., just south of 54 Ave., will be paved sometime in August. According to Power, E Construction Ltd. may be a little behind schedule due to the rain.
“Wherever they’re working now, I’m sure they’re delayed and that might mean they’re delayed getting to Bonnyville.”
Power said the estimated cost for the paving came in at $587,000.
Another ongoing development in town is through AltaGas Utilities Inc. The three-phase program is upgrading the gas lines.
The company has contracted Robert B. Somerville Co., an Edmonton construction business, to work on the first portion of it.
“The steel gets corroded after time, and it’s not good,” explained Nikki Secord, project coordinator for Robert B. Somerville Co. “It could cause issues, so just replacing it and doing upgrades.”
Residents effected by the work have received notifications of road closures since it broke ground in May. Most of the project is being done from 46 St. to 55 St. and from 54 Ave. to just south of 50 Ave.
Although most of the construction is in back alleys due to the location of the pipes, Secord stressed the importance of informing residents of where they would be.
“It’s a common courtesy to let them know what’s happening. We don’t just want to show up, and shut down their laneways. If they park back there, it will give them some time to move their vehicles and to also let them know we’re there working,” she explained, adding they give notice up until the day they clean up and move onto the next one.
Crews are aiming to complete this portion of the plan by the beginning of November 2019.
Secord believes it will take another two years to finish the upgrades to all of the lines.
So far, the rain hasn’t been too much of a problem for the process. Secord said they’ve only had to take two days off so far as a result of the weather.
