Equipment is on site to commence work on the construction of the Harlow berm extension. The berm will start at Harris Street and go through the greenbelt between the South Saskatchewan River and homes on Finlay Court and Link Court to Seventh Avenue where a lift station will be removed.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
Heavy equipment is at the scene to commence work on the extension of the Harlow berm.
Carlie Collier, engineer with municipal works, says the initial work will include clearing a pathway for construction of the berm with the entire project costing about $3.6 million.
The clearing will start next week, said Collier. It will be fairly wide, similar to the area cleared for the first berm in Harlow.
After the clearing very little will happen until spring, possibly April, when the actual berm construction will take place.
The berm starts where an existing berm parallel to Harris Street ends. It goes east through the greenbelt at the back of homes on Finlay Street, Link Court, Eighth Avenue SW and will end at Seventh Avenue where there is currently a lift station that will be closed. Pipes from the lift station will be concealed inside the berm to another lift station in Harlow.
People who enjoy walking in the Harlow area will notice signs going up from the end of the week changing the usual access points to trails.
Collier says the placement of the berm will be no closer than five metres from property boundaries.
“It just has to do with the alignment of the berm – not so much where the trees are located. We’re trying to follow the alignment of the river as well and stay back from the river as much as possible but at the same time leave some space between the property owner’s property line,” said Collier.
A number of the 14 homeowners who will be affected directly by the berm have expressed concerns about the city’s decision to build it. Council has remained resolute in its decision to go ahead with Coun. Kris Samraj the only councillor who voted against.
David Baron, whose property on Finlay Court will be impacted, is unhappy about what he calls “costly decisions and bullying” by council when many did not want it and don’t want all the trees cut down.
“… the impact it has on wildlife, protected species, the environment, people’s property values and carbon taxpayers,” said Baron, who along with others in the past believe the solution is a temporary berm if and when it is needed.
The temporary berm placed in Harlow in May 2020 along the route of the new permanent berm cost about $22,000.
Baron says before he purchased his property in 2017, which had never flooded, he asked city hall if there was any talk of a permanent berm.
“I was told there was no talk or mention of it at all, so I bought my home knowing it would hold its value or go up with the beautiful green belt and river for a view and privacy,” said Baron.
Home owners in Riverside had previously opposed talk of building a berm there that would reduce their view and access to the river. Some of those property owners also have riparian rights to the land by the water. The city decided it would be too costly to expropriate land.
“You won’t put the berm on the north side of the river because you can’t afford to fight them,” said Baron.
Last summer another property owner on Finlay Court, Ryan Shrives, questioned why the berm had been delayed for so many years after the first phase in Harlow if it was so necessary. He has also said he believes the decision to close the lift station and place the pipeline inside the berm had a lot to do with it.
The city is not looking at any financial compensation for the loss of property value for the homeowners impacted.
