Operations manager Jim Hall presented to council for consideration a request for decision to change the scope of the Main Avenue West project’s second phase.
The proposed updated plan is to connect the pathway from the east side of Prairie Creek to the west side, essentially connecting the sidewalk from the grocery store over to Cornerbrook and onto the new regional path, he said.
“We have a connectivity issue, where pedestrians, scooters and what have you, must pretty much walk out onto Highway 27 for an estimated 75 to 80 metres” before reaching a sidewalk or pathway, he said during the April 15 council meeting.
“We came up with an elevated boardwalk system. It’s been rumoured as a kind of a throwaway project if (Alberta Transportation) comes in and widens the highway. However, that’s not in the foreseeable near future — they would have to change the bridge.”
In the meantime, the elevated boardwalk is an attempt to enhance connectivity as the municipality endeavours to continue developing throughout the community a three-metre wide regional path, he said.
“I believe that we’ll have an increase in pedestrian activity in that area, and we want to make it safe for people,” he said, adding construction would likely get started in August.
Coun. Cheri Funke moved the recommended action as presented by administration to approve the proposed Phase 2 project scope update to install the Prairie Creek boardwalk and oil grit separator with the roughly $151,000 cost being funded through Municipal Sustainability Initiative capital grant funding.
Without any opposition, council carried the motion.
