The town is building a football-field-long elevated sidewalk along the south side of Lakewood Drive – a project hoped to end a nagging four-year unwanted parking problem for at least one business.
On Aug. 11, town council accepted and approved an administration recommendation to spend $78,000 on the new raised sidewalk along Lakewood Drive, between the west end of 52 Avenue and east end of 54 Street.
Council was told by Craig Teal, the town's director of planning and operations, the area has been served by a street-level asphalt trail with painted shoulder markings but there have been significant challenges over the years with business customers parking directly on the path – causing ongoing frustration.
Teal said it was hoped the problem could be resolved in other ways, like telling people not to park along the path and marking the area better. “At this point we tried those and it didn't work, and we are moving on to this solution,” said Teal, who told council the new physical change is being designed to keep vehicles from parking on the path. “This is the construction of a raised concrete sidewalk with defined vehicle crossing points to separate the path area from the vehicle parking and maneuvering area.”
He said the town will construct a 91-metre-long concrete sidewalk that will be about two metres wide, and more than 20 centimetres high – twice the height of a typical curb. “Quite literally, the pedestrian area will be elevated relative to the road surface.”
Teal's report to council said there are three separate lots on the section of Lakewood Drive that will be affected by the project, including two on the east end used by Kal Tire. Both lots will be provided with an access to Lakewood Drive, council was told.
Council heard the 2014 budget did not include the $78,000 needed for this project but funding could come through the 2014 operating contingency. The money needed includes $67,000 for concrete and asphalt as well as for subgrade preparation work. The remaining $11,000 has been identified for contractor mobilization, possible surveying and for any unexpected items.
