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Northland overhaul underway Traffic delays coming as crew dig up Franklin Avenue, Old Airport Road
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, June 5, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
After years of waiting anxiously to have their water and sewer infrastructure replaced, residents of Northland Trailer Park are finally beginning to see some progress.
Pearl Benyk, who has been living in Northland Trailer Park since 1990 and serves on its board of directors, is relieved the trailer park's much needed water and sewer line replacements are finally getting underway. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo |
With work set to begin on Thursday, the feeling among residents is one of elation.
"It's happening at last, thank goodness," said Pearl Benyk, who has been a resident of Northland since 1990 and is also on the board of directors for the trailer park's condo association board. "I'm very excited about it."
Mayor Mark Heyck also expressed his excitement that the highly-anticipated project was finally getting underway.
"That (trailer park) has been an issue for so many people for so many years," he said, adding it was good to finally see "shovels put in the ground."
The sewer and water line infrastructure at the site is more than 15 years passed there replacement date. RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. was recently awarded a $15.9 million contract for the job.
The city has agreed to loan the money the owners of the 257 homes in the trailer park to cover the costs of the work with an interest rate of no higher than fiver per cent. The loan will be repaid through a local improvement charge, which is estimated to cost homeowners $358 a month over 25 years.
The first step in the project will be to connect the trailer park's water and sewage lines to the city's system at sewage station no. 5 and pumphouse no. 4.
According to the city's director of public works and engineering, Chris Greencorn, connecting the trailer park's water and sewage system to the city's will require contractors to dig up sections of the road on Franklin Avenue near the fire hall, as well as on Old Airport Road near the intersection with Franklin Avenue.
"Until we get across Franklin and across Old Airport Road, there will be some traffic issues," said Greencorn, adding that "we are going to try and maintain two-way traffic, but it'll be hard to maintain the four lanes."
Although he didn't yet know how long the construction will take or the extent to which roads are going to be affected, he estimated it would take the "better part of two months." He said that the city will be keeping motorists posted on developments with regular updates on social media and other avenues.
Greencorn also said that once construction gets underway, residents living in the area might want to take the highway loop in order to avoid delays.
Replacing all the sewage and water systems in the park is expected to take three years. However, Greencorn said there is always the possibility it could take longer.
"We have no idea what we will encounter once we start excavation," he said, "but our goal is to get it done as quickly as possible."
Benyk, meanwhile, is urging patience for the project, which has been years in the making.
"We recognize that there will be some inconveniences, but I think most of us are willing to live with those - we recognize they're necessary," she said of residents at the park.
The city will be holding a public meeting to discuss the details of the project at 7 p.m. tonight at William McDonald School. The meeting will include representatives from RTL Robinson, the condo board and the city's planning committee.
It is hoped that these meetings will be held at least once every two weeks.
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