The long anticipated third and final phase of the multi-million dollar Downtown Revitalization Project is finally set to tentatively begin on July 2 – two weeks behind the initially scheduled start date.
Members of the public were invited to speak to town officials and project engineers regarding the town's downtown revitalization plans along 50th Street from 44th to 47th avenues on June 4 at an open house at the Innisfail Library Learning Centre.
“AIC Construction, who was awarded the construction contract for all three phases of the project, has experienced weather delays at the Napoleon Meadows subdivision, consequently pushing the start date back two weeks to July 2. The 13-week, six-step construction will go to September 25th tentatively, weather depending,” said Craig Teal, the town's director of planning and operational services.
On Feb. 24, town council approved administration's recommendation that AIC Construction do the work for the third phase of the project for $2,261,235.17, excluding GST. This amount includes a $205,566 contingency to cover unforeseen issues with underground excavation and construction. The accepted tender is less than the approved budget of $2,685,000 originally approved by council with excess funds going to further improvements along 50th Street.
“Initially it was more beneficial for some of the businesses if we could start after the May long weekend after Mother's and Father's Day, especially for the restaurants. Now, with the later start date, they will be able to take advantage of Canada Day traffic,” said Teal.
The project has been designed to go in six steps, with each phase leading to the other including a mid-point paving the weekend of Aug. 25 and 26.
Displays at the open house included six step-by-step poster boards showing proposed work areas and route detours.
“We will be starting at the intersection at 50th Street and 47th Avenue,” said Teal. “The intersection will be upgraded and each section along the build will be stripped, excavated, and the necessary work done up to gravel.
“The remaining sections will be done as follows: from 47th Avenue to 45th Avenue, further work between 47th Avenue to 44th Avenue, with the final section between 45th Avenue and 44th Avenue scheduled for September 11th to 25th,” added Teal. “Along each step of the way, detours will be clearly marked and cleaned up once we complete that section.”
Teal said the “lion's share” of the budget for Phase 3 will go towards road surface work, new water and sanitation lines and landscaping.
“The boulevard on the north side of 50th Street will expand. There will be a new asphalt path and more plantings. The concrete sidewalk will be widened up,” said Teal.
The budget for the entire three-phase project is roughly $8.5 million with AIC Construction being retained for all the work as per the recommendation of the project's consulting engineering company, Tagish Engineering.
At the June 4 open house, Teal was joined by council members Doug Bos and Heather Taylor and Mayor Brian Spiller, who all listened attentively to concerns from the public.
“Just like Phase 2 when we finished the 18-week build near the end of September, we have built-in rain days,” said Teal. “The work will not be 100 per cent complete at the end of September as we will have to finalize landscaping.”
Information on Phase 3 construction can be found online at www.innisfail.ca and on the Innisfail Facebook page. Residents can also call the town at 403-227-3477.
