Crews contracted by the City of Medicine Hat send up a geyser of steam as they clean storm sewer lines prior to relining them with epoxy coating along the Southeast Hill in early April. Officials say the spring construction season will commence soon but with consideration for health restrictions brought in under the pandemic response.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Hatters can expect to see a number of city projects move ahead soon, as well as see workers less than six feet apart, emergency management officials said this week.
The apparent breaking of calls to maintain physical distance to contain the spread of the coronavirus is necessary in some cases to maintain general safety of workers, Merrick Brown, the city’s director of emergency response told reporters on Tuesday.
“We’ve implemented measure to ensure our workers and our contractors will be abiding by the guidelines issued by Alberta Health Services, like two metres (six-feet),” said Brown.
“If they are closer, it is because it is critical for their own safety.”
In such situations, like on either side of a power pole, or in a confined space, or where more than one person is required to accomplish a task safely, personal protective gear, such as masks and gloves, will be employed.
Brown stressed that construction is required to maintain essential services provided by the city, such as utilities, like sewer, water, gas and power, as well as roads.
“Not only is it deemed by the province as an essential service, but also residents should be considering construction essential,” he said.
“It ensures we have well-maintained infrastructure.”
Hatters can expect to see the spring construction season ramp up soon as warm weather sets in.
And many city councillors are pointing to civic works campaign as a stabilizing force in the local employment landscape that has been hit hard by pandemic response.
“We are moving ahead with projects that employ people,” said Coun. Julie Friesen at council’s April 20 meeting. “We’re moving ahead in a safe way that is honouring the needs of the people we serve.”
That day, council approved a bid by Aecon Transportation West, of Redcliff, to pave a dirt portion of a parking lot next to the Family Leisure Centre.
The project had been on the city’s radar for some time since parking patterns changed when expansion reconfigured the front entrance, and is now moving ahead with the $1.4-million project since disruption would be minimized.
“We moved quite swiftly in light of the closure of the facility,” said public services commissioner Brian Mastel.
A slate of regularly scheduled projects, including a $12-million general water and sewer line replacement program is also moving ahead, plus storm sewer lining and general maintenance.
On Wednesday, the city announced that the final phase of the multi-year project to replace pipes and roadway along First Street SW would proceed next week. A final lift of asphalt, new guard rails, sidewalk and some electrical work will mean the closure of the road way, from Chinook Drive to Second Avenue until the end of June.
Substantial road projects in the queue for this summer also include resurfacing Finlay Bridge, rehabilitation work on Strachan Road and Bridge Street, a general overlay program that is completed throughout the city annually, and some work on the Kipling and Spencer streets corridor.
Utility projects will take place in Riverside, Division Avenue S., Crescent Heights and some in congress with roadway projects listed above.
