Sidewalk Replacement

Older sidewalks in Beiseker have a problem.  The cement is deteriorating faster than in other areas of Alberta, possibly due to soil conditions here. There are many sidewalks in the village that have disintegrated completely.

Village Council has been working on a program to replace dilapidated sidewalks throughout the village, but this has become very expensive!

Every year, Council budgets for the replacement of sidewalks. We are gradually catching up on the deterioration but it's taking a long time. Council has traditionally shied away from declaring sidewalk replacement as a local improvement, therefore charging frontage tax on the new concrete. That means that those folks who get a new sidewalk in front of the residence do not have to pay a frontage tax. But that also means that the cost of that sidewalk must be taken from General Revenue.

Every year, Council goes over list created by the Public Works Foreman and decides which sidewalks will be replaced during the current construction season.  This is a very difficult descision to make.

If you have a sidewalk in front of your home which is badly cracked and/or heaving, as I do, my advice to you is to have patience. It will eventually be replaced through the Sidewalk Replacement Program.

The other option. is to circulate a petition amongst your neighbors asking for the sidewalk. on your street to be replaced. When the petition is presented to Council with the appropriate number of bona fide signatures, council must (by law) consider the request.