Waddy Lane and 2nd St receive facelift

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Numerous citizen concerns and years of unease about low water pressures and overall quality of infrastructure on Waddy Lane and 2nd Street are being laid to rest, with the town doling out thousands of dollars for necessary engineering services addressing the improvement and replacement of underground infrastructure and surface works.
During the regular council meeting last week, town council voted unanimously, with the absence of Councillor Bob Sobol, to allocate nearly $100,000 for Allnorth’s professional engineering services.
The town had established the Waddy Lane improvement project as a capital project for 2016 last year. It will include the much-needed replacement of water and sanitary underground infrastructure, surface works, and some road and sidewalk replacement between Lakeside Boulevard and Wheatland Trail.
Improvements to the surface works of 2nd Street, from 2nd Street to Wheatland Trail, were also carried over from 2015, and will primarily focus on drainage issues and roadway resurfacing.
For years, Strathmore residents had raised the issue of low water pressure along Waddy Lane, said to be the result of an aging main waterline, which was originally scheduled to be replaced in 2017.
Letters to the town, received in 2014, stated that several residents experienced the water pressure issues, even deeming their fixtures ineffective when used simultaneously.
“Waddy Lane will be an underground infrastructure replacement, 2nd Street has newer infrastructure, but there are some surface concerns, pot hole issues, and cracking, so we want to address that at this time,” said Bryce Mackan, acting director of Engineering with the Town of Strathmore.
The Alberta Purchasing Connection posted the proposal request for professional engineering services for both reconstruction projects from Jan. 20 until Feb. 8.
With nine proposals, the engineering department performed a technical review following criteria that included completeness, depth of breadth, qualifications, and innovation and value added to the project. Six of the applicants received a minimum score or higher, and proceeded to the cost review. The technical score combined with the cost score recommended Allnorth, who was also the lowest bidder, for the project. Allnorth had also worked with the town on past and current project.
According to Mackan, construction is scheduled to begin in early April, depending on the design and engineering processes. With the Strathmore Stampede and Heritage Days beginning at the end of July, the engineering department is striving to complete the project between May and July.
Council approved for the professional engineering services for Waddy Lane and 2nd Street Reconstruction to be awarded to Allnorth for an amount no greater than $99,950 plus GST on Feb. 17.