The City is defending the need to tear up a recently laid section of concrete downtown. The work came under fire on social media from the owner of Better Than Fred’s, located at the corner of 101st Street and 99th Avenue.
In an emailed update, the City explains that the concrete bulb-outs at that intersection weren’t up to the standard needed to properly install paving stones and other features meant for the area. The concrete was torn up and taken out Wednesday, and re-pouring started Thursday.
The contractor expects the work will be done in a few days, at which point the brick layers can start putting in the paving stones. They’ll start on the north end of the section between 99th Avenue and 100th and will place stones on the sidewalks and parking lanes.
“The process to install the paving stones is complex and involves a lot of steps. This correction occurred at the right time,” the update reads.
This is the third time that section of sidewalk has been ripped up. The project started last summer, but due to poor weather, the final sidewalk finishing wasn’t done in time. A temporary concrete sidewalk was installed for the winter which is now being replaced with the final product.
The city has budgeted $20 million for the first two phases of the downtown rehabilitation project, and an $18.23 million tender was awarded to Wapiti Gravel Suppliers in June 2016. The first and second phase along 101st Avenue are scheduled to wrap up this fall.