The city has outlined its plans for construction projects it’ll be working on during the upcoming building season.
Despite cutting money funding infrastructure projects as part of its 2021 budget, the city is still working on projects in a “large number of areas” according to Wendy Newton, acting director of Public Works and Engineering.
Some areas are highlighted like the Solid Waste Facility, because there are a number of projects happening there. The entire is not under construction, noted Newton.
Niven Lake
Road patching will be happening on Moyle Drive in the Niven lake area, which has had problems with a sinkhole in the past.
Downtown
In the Somba K’e Plaza, the city is working with the Jumpstart program to install an accessible playpark.
OAR/Franklin Ave./Forrest Dr.
Further along Franklin Avenue, the community arena is having an ammonia system upgrade — a refrigeration system — to match the system that was installed in the Multiplex.
Frame Lake/Kam Lake
The RV Fill and dump station is being moved to a large tract of city owned land.across from Coronation Drive.
Solid Waste Facility
At the dump, a gate and weighing station is being installed.
Sewage lagoon
Sludge removal from the wastewater lagoon — filtering out waste that has accumulated at the bottom of the lagoon, thereby increasing the area’s capacity for storage — is being delayed due to permitting road bumps. The work is set to begin in 2023.
The city’s water license governs how sludge removal works. Newton says a number of meetings are planned with regulators and the city is currently working. The city is currently working on renewing its water license, and the sludge removal is being discussed as part of that project.
“We are in the eye of the storm on our water license,” said Sheila Bassi-Kellett, administrator with the City of Yellowknife.
Access to building supplies has become scarce during the pandemic, with costs for lumber among other things rising, according to Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty.
“All the best with the upcoming construction season,” she said in a governance and priorities committee meeting on Monday. “I was just reading about the price of lumber has increased in Edmonton, they’re just taking forklifts and going into the job sites and Calgary it seems they missed their pipes — getting their infrastructure to them because of the Texas snowstorm.”
“So here’s hoping that we’ve got some good luck this season,” added Alty.
