Fourth Avenue and Main Street!

We're finally seeing some action on our streets and sidewalks program.  Here's what's happening;

Fourth Avenue:  

While repairing a water main break last winter, we found some very old water pipes under Fourth Avenue between Main Street and Fifth Street.  They even found a connection to the CN Station which was demolished nearly forty years ago! 

Council decided to have the road completely dug up, all the old pipes replaced with new material, new fill placed and packed, then paved.  That project is very close to being completed once the paving crews arrive to pave that section. 

When the paving crews are here, they will also pave the areas left by crews repairing other water main breaks around town.

Main Street Sidewalks: 

Our sidewalk replacement program has been ongoing all summer and we have many blocks of shiny new sidewalks to show for it.  We were holding off on the Main Street section of sidewalks in hopes that the provincial government would renew their grant program which paid for the upgrades to Main Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Such was not the case.  The MSI Grants (Municipal Sustainability Initiatives) continue to be reduced, every year.  We decided that we couldn't wait any longer! 

The worst sections of the Main Street sidewalks are being replaced right now.  Other renovations, including the replacement of the rest of the sidewalks between Second Avenue and Third Avenue on Main Street will have to wait, until Beiseker has enough funds to pay for them!

Overall, I would like to thank all of you for your patience and understanding during these two construction projects.  And I would also like to thank all the drivers for avoiding those areas now prepared to be patch-paved.  Those areas should be paved along with Fourth Avenue in the coming days.

Sidewalk Work in Beiseker

Most Beisekerites have noticed that our sidewalk replacement program is underway.

This phase of the project is replacement only.  There will be no new sidewalks constructed during this phase, just older ones replaced.

Our soil conditions and the amount of salts in our well water severely shortened the life of sidewalks within the village.  With Beiseker now using river water, and better concrete mixes, it is hoped that the newly constructed sidewalks will last considerably longer.

Some of you have asked when the new construction phase will start.  Village council is working on a strategic plan which will assign a priority to all new sidewalk construction.  First we need to get accurate estimates on the cost of the new construction.  This quite possibly could mean the new sidewalk construction phase may not start until 2016.

Thank you for you patience while these old sidewalks are dug up and removed and forms are set for the new sidewalks.  We're hoping to have this phase of sidewalk replacement finished in a few weeks, weather permitting.

Potholes!

The streets of our village have been plagued with potholes and frost boils every spring, but this year it's particularly bad!  Thank you to those who have informed me and the Village Office about many of the problem areas. 

Frost boils are caused by too much water under the roadway, making the surface layers very soft.  We can either barricade them off and let them firm up as the water table goes down, or we can dig up the area, put in new material and pack it well.  Obviously the first choice is the cheapest.  Each soft frost boil area will be assessed and dealt with over the next few weeks.

Potholes are caused by somewhat similar circumstances but usually affect the top layers in a small area.  I think I've been informed about every pothole within the village limits.  Some have been filled with a sand, gravel and tar mix called "cold mix," while others will have to wait until our streets are swept clean during the first week of June. 

After the streets are swept the remaining potholes will be repaired.  One of the areas of big concern is at the corner of North Road and First Avenue.  That area will be attended to during that first week of June. 

If you see another pothole or frost boil which seems to have missed our scrutiny, please report it to the Village of Beiseker Office, by calling 403-947-3774!

Thank you very much for you patience.

Road Work is Expensive!

During and after the Town Hall meeting last Monday evening, the condition of Beiseker's streets has been mentioned several times.

We have a few critical streets here in the Village which need some serious work.  Here's the ones I can think of, in my personal order of priority -

• The mud bog at the corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street.
• The Beacon Heights Road from Beaver Place to the Public Works Yard.
• First Avenue from the Public Works Yard to the CN tracks.
• Fouth Avenue from Friendship Park to Seventh Street.
• Seventh Street from Fourth Avenue to First Avenue.
• Sixth Street from Third Avenue to Fourth Avenue.
• There are also some lane-ways which need work.

But, a huge amount of road work could mean increased property taxes.  I for one am opposed to such a property tax increase.

There are some provincial grants available.  The old grant for improving streets has a new name, but it's still offered.  There are also the Municipal Sustainability Grants available, although significantly reduced by the province.  We on council would like to continue our Main Street upgrade project with a big chunk of that money, but maybe we should be looking at that decision again.

There is also the option of naming a portion of a project a local improvement and assigning a frontage tax on those properties directly affected by street improvements.

What do you think? Let me know here; it's free.  I would like your input.

Keeping Beiseker Moving

In my opinion, Beiseker has more unfinished streets than any other municipality in our area.  By unfinished, I mean unpaved.  We've had so many other issues to deal with, lately, that our streets have taken a backseat. I believe the time is come to start improving our streets in this village.

There are three areas of concern that I can see;

1. Seventh Street remains unpaved, many years after the petition was presented to stop that project.
2. Part of every Avenue (except First Avenue and Fifth Avenue) are unpaved.
3. Beacon Heights Road south from the entrance to Beacon Heights to the junction with First Avenue is full of potholes, washboard, and generates a huge amount of dust every summer despite the very best effort of our Public Works department.

If re-elected, I will encourage Council to revisit those three projects. I will press Council to ask our engineers to gather us some up-to-date figures on the cost of paving each of these streets.

With those figures in hand, we will be able to create a priority list for the improvements.

Our sidewalk rehabilitation program is almost complete, with very few sections left to replace.  I would like to see a portion of our streets improvement program (which is funded by the provincial government) set aside for paving.

I will also propose council meet with the residents along Seventh Street to discuss their street, and the cost of that project.  Nothing should be done to improve that street until the majority of folks who live there agree.

2012 Priorities: Paving

Our first council meeting of 2012 will be held on Monday, January 9 at the Village Office.  I'm sure we'll start talking about priorities for the 2012 budget which for us is set in May of each year.  Besides the issues I mentioned in my New Years message a few days ago, there are a number of other projects we need to consider.  One of my favourites is pavement.

 There are a number of streets in the Village which need paving!  They are;  the avenues starting with Second Avenue going south at the Mountain View Credit Union, then Third Avenue going south from the Community Links building, and Fourth Avenue going south from the entrance to Friendship Park.  Beacon Heights Road going south from Beacon Heights also needs paving. 

The residents along Seventh Street turned down pavement a few years ago, but I think we need to ask them again!

All of these can't be paved over one year, probably not even over five years, but I believe we need to start the process of engineering, base preparation and applying for grants.

Let me know what you think.

Chinook Crescent

We have curb along Chinook Crescent!  Looks good too!  This project is not going as fast as we at Council had figured!  I think because it's such a "small" project that we may get shunted down the priority list.  Council has asked the contractors to make sure the folks along there have a sidewalk to walk on this winter even if it means putting down a temporary asphalt one until spring.  We've had many good weather days lately but the street was deserted of any workers.  Let's hope they can get more of the project done before the snow flies!

Again, thank you to Bill and his Public Works team for working with the engineers and keeping Council informed on the project.  And a huge thank you to all those residents along Chinook Crescent who have had to live with this disruption on their street.

The Hi-Way Nine Nightmare

I had a meeting in Drumheller today.  I went there via Acme and Carbon but I decided to return home on the Number 9 Highway!  Boy, was that a mistake.  It was like an off-road adventure! 

There was mud and rocks flying everywhere.  Some holes were so big that if they completely filled, I would have had to wait for the ferry! The speed was posted at 80 km, but I doubt that anything could do that kind of speed on that dirt mess except maybe a motocross racer!  What a disgrace!  I've seen major highways in third world countries in better shape that that!

What is going on here?  I've heard that last year's contractors were whining about bad weather and unforeseen soil problems, but please; this is a major highway!  Something needs to be done and fast, before we lose a motorhome full of tourists out there!  I'm writing every provincial Conservative I can think of to complain and I urge you to do too!

And I think that Danielle Smith and her Wildrose Alliance are missing a good bet by not having their party advertising along the torturous route!