Contingency plans have been put into place for the construction work happening on 51st Avenue.
With winter right around the corner and the window on the construction season quickly closing, Town Council voted to “button-up” a portion of 51 Ave. if paving were to run into November.
“My personal feeling is that any day after Halloween is a bonus day for construction in this country,” said Town CAO Mark Power, at a Council meeting on Sept. 8.
Confusion and mismanagement of the project over the course of the summer months caused what was expected to be a three-day window of inactivity turn into a three-week window.
The contractor of the underground work was supposed to be off the site in mid-July and pass the project off to a separate contractor who was going to come and do the paving and surface work.
A series of issues compounded and resulted in the area sitting relatively vacant for the end of July into August.
Surface work on 50th St. by the post office and Brosseau's department store started in mid-August as crews worked to get a basic roadbed in place.
Paving for that section of the project is expect to commence this week, with crews working hard to get the street paved before winter arrives.
Engineers, contractors and Town officials have had several meetings over the past few weeks, with the Town stressing the importance of completing the work on 50th St. to open a better route to Duclos School.
“Kudos to the service contractors, they are working their tails off to try and get it done as quick as possible,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski.
While the contractors and Town officials hope to have the project done in the coming weeks, there is a chance the project could run into November.
Many local officials are weary of the construction possibly continuing into November and feel that the weather is too unpredictable to count on work happening.
Should the paving run pass the end of the month, Council has approved a motion to purchase cold mix, which the contractors will use to patch up the unfinished road.
“We are not going to take a chance that they might be able to pave in November,” said Power. “Council doesn't want to take the chance. We will just put cold mix down and call it done. Then we will pave it next year.”
With the contractor unable to acquire any more cold mix at this time of the year, Bonnyville officials will purchase the cold mix and get the construction crews on site to patch up the remaining streets if necessary.
“We cannot leave 51 Ave. uncovered for the winter,” said Coun. Jim Cheverie. “We have to close in all of that infrastructure and get it buttoned up.”
Power still expects the “important” section of the project along 50th St. (in front of the post office) and west on 51 Ave. to be paved in the coming weeks.
If cold mix is used as a solution, it will be placed on the east end of 51 Ave. close to 46th Street.