A couple of excavators and a crew from UG Excavating along with an engineer from CIMA+ started work Monday, Aug. 19 on the second phase of the Main Avenue West upgrade.
A new freshwater pipeline was installed while two pumps continuously drained seeping groundwater that would otherwise rapidly fill up most of the pit, which is located on the southwest corner of the Highway 27 and Sixth Street intersection across the road from Corner Brook.
The water cannot be pumped out too fast in order to allow sediment to settle in a holding pond before draining into Prairie Creek, a trout habitat and tributary of the Red Deer River, to mitigate downstream impacts.
"All sedimentation has been falling out prior to entering Prairie Creek," wrote Shane Vollett, one of the municipality's water operators, on a social media post addressing a member of the public's concern.
"I’ve also been taking daily samples prior to entering the creek and downstream to ensure there are no adverse affects. We did this last year also and were fully compliant with all of Alberta Environment and Parks requests."
Weather permitting, construction is expected to last about two months. Aside from a freshly repaved road, the project will also upgrade underground services in an effort to open the door to more development in Sundre's southwest industrial district.
Throughout the duration of the project, which started last year, Pioneer Vet Clinic and the municipal office will be accessible through the back alley while Sixth Street SW as well as Seventh Street SW will remain open.
