With construction down to the final leg, work crews have been busy putting the finishing touches on 50 Street. While this is the most satisfying part of the revitalization, it can also present hiccups as well.
“They're really pushing to get it done,” said Debra Stoski, president of the downtown business association. “It's going really good.”
When the Gift Loft operator Danna Melnyk suddenly realized contractors were putting in a parking space in front of her business, she acted fast. Having inspected plans carefully earlier during the street reno process, this deviated from the design, she said.
“We were only supposed to lose two parking spots” on the entire street, she said.
She immediately picked up the phone and called the Town of Innisfail who arrived on scene in short order.
Officials arrived to discover a “no parking” sign had already been erected, though lines had not been painted.
After carefully going over plans a solution was discovered.
“We were able to find one more parking stall,” said Craig Teal, the town's director of planning and development. “We ended up with a loss of one. That's not bad, quite frankly.”
Parts of 50 Street are already open, but because the traffic lights have not been installed, some sections will be closed every evening.
“They're not here yet,” Teal said, adding the intersection where 51 Avenue and 53 Street meet as well as where 50 Avenue and 52 Street connect will now be open 24/7.
“While not perfectly lit, they at least will have (some) light,” he said.
Mike “Jelly” Thorne, owner/operator for The Chad Smokeshop 420, says he is generally happy with construction but is concerned by cracks he has noticed in the concrete.
“I'm tickled pink it's done,” Thorne said, adding business was better during upgrades than he originally expected. “Upon first glance it looks excellent.”
He pointed out a series of fissures that appear about half a foot long.
“It's only two weeks old and there are cracks everywhere,” he said.
He wondered, if this is how it looks after two weeks what would it look like in the future?
Eric Sanford, senior project manager with Tagish Engineering, investigated the cracks and said sometimes in weaker sections of stamped concrete cracks can appear following expansion. He explained that at the end of any job workers go through and replace parts of the construction that may have been damaged in some way.
Dr. Mitch Champney of Innisfail Family Dental is in his first year on the street as well, but says the experience has been pleasant so far.
“We feel like it hasn't given us too much grief at all,” he said. “It'll be nice to have the new sidewalk and pavement. I think it's going to be a lot more attractive.”
Provided asphalt is laid Sept. 15 on 50 Street the final section of the road should open Sept. 17.
