City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan

Starting this month, Fortis/Shaw’s contractor TC Infrastructure Services will be completing the overhead to underground relocations within the alleyways east and west of Main Street and along McLeod Avenue.

Local traffic may be impacted for short durations and may need to redirect to an alternate route. Appropriate signage will be placed prior to work commencing.

The timelines for the work are as follows:

Phase 1: Alley east of Main Street – estimated timeline is April 19 to May 3.

Phase 2: Alley west of Main Street – estimated timeline is May 4 to 18.

Phase 3: McLeod Avenue underground between the two alley ways – estimated timeline is May 19 to June 2.

Throughout construction, any holes or drill pits that are required will be covered with steel plates when work isn’t underway to allow traffic to continue.

Starting the first week of February (weather permitting), ATCO will be upgrading the natural gas service in part of the City Centre area.

Work is expected to take four weeks. Properties that are impacted by this work will receive a notice from ATCO in advance.

During this time, there will be minor disruptions to parking, traffic, and access. The work will be broken down as follows:

Phase 1: Install new gas line at the alley west of Main Street. This will have minor impacts to the on-street parking, but will require residents/businesses to access the alleys from Queen Street, Church Road or First Avenue while construction is underway.

Phase 2: Abandonment of the gas main along McLeod Avenue. This work is concentrated at the alley west of Main Street as well as the intersection of King Street and McLeod Avenue. While the work is ongoing at the intersection, the northbound traffic on King Street will be reduced to one through/right lane and the eastbound traffic along McLeod Avenue will be reduced to just left or right turns. There are no expected impacts to parking or southbound traffic along King Street and westbound traffic along McLeod Avenue.

Phase 3: Disconnect the gas line at the alley east of Main Street. This work will have minor impacts to on-street parking and alley access. Residents and businesses may need to access these alleys off King Street, First Avenue, or Church Road while construction activities are underway.

Throughout construction, any holes or drill pits that are required will be covered with steel plates when work isn’t underway to allow traffic to continue.

McLeod Avenue between Main Street and the east end of Columbus Park will be closed to eastbound traffic on Friday, January 21, from approximately 7 to 10 a.m. The sidewalk along this section of road will also be closed during this time.

This temporary closure is required to accommodate a crane that will be unloading light poles for Columbus Park as part of the redevelopment work at the park. The light poles will be placed in the centre of the park and installation will occur later this year.

Signage will be posted and workers will be on site to help manage traffic flow. Drivers and pedestrians are asked to watch for workers and equipment in the area.

The redevelopment work at Columbus Park has finished for the 2021 construction season. The contractor’s trailer has been removed and all previously impacted sidewalks and street parking are now open. The site has been secured with fencing around the perimeter of the park.

Remaining work, which includes landscaping, more concrete work and lighting installation, will be completed in the spring of 2022 as early as weather permits. More specific details will be provided at that time.

Thank you to the community and City Centre businesses for their cooperation this year.

With the arrival of colder temperatures and snowy weather, the redevelopment work at Columbus Park will be wrapping up for the season in a few weeks.

In that time, some concrete work, as well as curb, gutter and sidewalk repair, will be completed.

The contractor’s trailer is expected to be removed from the site on Friday, Dec. 3, with some final work occurring the following week.

On Friday, Dec. 10, all previously impacted sidewalks and street parking will be reopened, and the entire site will be fenced and secured for the rest of the winter.

It is expected that a contractor will come on site in January with cranes to install some lighting at the park. Any potential impacts to parking or traffic will be communicated in advance.

Work will recommence in the spring with more concrete work, installation of the water fountain and table tops, landscaping, and other final finishing touches. More specific details will be provided at that time.

The work continues at the site and great progress is being made!

The structural steel work on the Stage has been completed and the framing and roof assembly is set to happen on both the stage and shade canopy within the next couple of weeks.

Concrete flatwork continues on both the north and south ends of the site and framing of the storage room is set to begin.

A reminder that the angle parking on the south side of McLeod Avenue, from Main Street east to the alley, remains temporarily closed to allow the space to be used for on-site storage and trailers. The angle parking and sidewalk on the west side of Columbus Park will remain closed. Signage is posted and pedestrian traffic is being accommodated.

Again, thank you for your patience during this busy time on the site. Please drive by and see the progress first hand!

Updates regarding construction and related impacts will continue to be provided throughout the project.

Stage construction (photo courtesy Victor Moroz)

Shade canopy construction

Concrete flatwork

There is plenty of activity happening at Columbus Park these days, including significant concrete work and steel structure construction. Thanks to everyone for their patience during this busy time at the site.

Once redevelopment work is complete, Columbus Park will be home to a permanent stage and storage room, a shelter structure, and tables. Other features of the park will include flat green space, a water bottle fill station, power outlets, and raised planters with seating. Underground services are being installed to potentially accommodate a washroom facility in the future.

Concrete flatwork

Stage construction

Stage construction

Shade canopy construction

Shade canopy construction

Shade canopy construction (photo courtesy Victor Moroz)

Over the next four weeks, there will be a significant increase in activity at Columbus Park with ongoing concrete work and steel structure construction.

To support this work, the angle parking on the south side of McLeod Avenue, from Main Street east to the alley, is expected to be temporarily closed from October 29 to November 26 to allow the space to be used for on-site storage and trailers.

Temporarily using this space for necessary storage needs will allow the work to be done more efficiently and completed as quickly as possible.

The sidewalk on the south side of McLeod Avenue will remain open.

As well, the angle parking and sidewalk on the west side of Columbus Park will continue to remain closed. Signage is posted and pedestrian traffic is being accommodated.

Updates regarding construction and related impacts will be provided throughout the project.

Benches, planters and the stage area are taking shape at Columbus Park as concrete work continues at the site.

To accommodate this concrete work, there will be times when there is an increase in traffic, activity, and equipment. As needed, workers will help to manage and direct traffic flow.

Additionally, effective October 20, the contractor’s on-site trailer will be relocated to the south side of McLeod Avenue, near the existing construction laydown zone on Main Street. This will temporarily impact approximately three parking stalls until November 30. The sidewalk will remain open and traffic accommodation signage will be posted.

Updates regarding construction and related impacts will be provided throughout the project.

Concrete work continues at Columbus Park to create the park’s benches, sidewalks, and stage area.

Work on the irrigation line is also underway, as is installation of the electrical cabinet base.

There will be times when there is an increase in traffic, activity, and equipment at the site to accommodate the concrete work. Workers will be on site to help manage and direct traffic flow at these times.

Updates regarding construction and related impacts will be provided throughout the project.