Construction work on the Willow Estates, Midland, and North Drumheller Grove Plaza berms is wrapping up, and the design team and engineers are preparing to conduct final walkthroughs and inspections in the coming week.
While work is finishing on these projects, it is beginning to move forward on the downtown berm project, with a major focus on completing work along the portion of the berm which encompasses the Centennial Park area.
“Our contractor for the downtown berm (Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc.) got started just after Canada Day,” shares project director Deighen Blakely.
Pathways within the construction area within Centennial Park have been closed to pedestrian traffic. Due to the impact and disruption these closures have had, work is being focused in this area and Ms. Blakely is hopeful this portion of the project can be completed this year.
There is an anticipated closure of Riverside Drive in August to allow contractors to work on a retaining wall, which will run along a portion of the roadway.
While the road right-of-way will be permanently closed, Riverside Drive itself will remain open to traffic, though will be narrowed slightly between 3 Avenue East and 3 Street East to accommodate the footprint of the berm.
Riprap work will also be completed on the river side of the berm, though Ms. Blakely notes there are still pending approvals for this from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
While this work is moving forward as expected, there are some delays on the first phase of the East Coulee berm due to bird nesting in the area of construction. Teams are currently monitoring the area and, once the birds have cleared their nests and moved on from this area, it is expected construction work will begin.

Big Valley residents and businesses with unsightly, nuisance properties will feel a deeper sting to their wallets as council increased fines under its Nuisance Abatement Bylaw during the regular Thursday, July 13 council meeting.
Council had previously directed administration during its meeting in June to increase the fines, and bring the amended bylaw back for consideration at a future meeting.
Under the bylaw, the owner or occupant of a property which is deemed in violation of the bylaw may be served with a notice outlining items to remedy within a specified time frame. If the property is not brought to compliance within the outlined time, the owner or occupant may be fined.
Previously a first offense would result in a $50 fine plus an hourly clean up charge; this has now been increased to $100. Subsequent offenses will result in higher fines-$200 for a second offense, up from $100, and $400 for third and any subsequent offenses within a one-year period from the date of the first offense.
Council gave all three readings to the amended bylaw, along with accompanying changes to its Fees and Charges Bylaw.