Northwest Inner-City Community Drainage Improvements
About the project
We’re investing in upgrades to water infrastructure in the inner-city northwest communities to enhance the safety of residents and protect vulnerable areas from the damages caused by stormwater flooding.
Much of the stormwater infrastructure in the area was built to the standard of the time but is now outdated and is being fixed to significantly increase the capacity in these neighbourhoods and reduce flooding caused by intense rainfall.
With support from the Government of Alberta, the construction of these upgrades started in 2021.
Hillhurst and Sunnyside projects
Construction on some projects started in September 2021 and will be completed in phases over the next three years. All projects are tentatively scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.
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Current projects
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Upper Plateau Separation project
The Upper Plateau Separation project in Hillhurst Sunnyside consists of installing a larger, dedicated pipe that will collect and move stormwater from the communities on top of the hill directly to the Bow River, bypassing Sunnyside, to help prevent flooding in the community. It’s one of several community drainage improvements happening in the area. The infrastructure will also include a filtration system to help stop pollutants, like grit and oils, from going into the river.
Construction started in November 2021 and is anticipated to be complete by late summer 2025.
What we're constructing
Managing construction in the area
Construction schedules for many of these projects are ambitious as they are based on provincial funding commitments as well as provincial and federal environmental regulations.
We understand that construction over the next few years will be challenging for those who travel, live, visit and work in the area. That’s why we’re working together across these and other City projects in the area to help manage construction impacts, including:
- Managing construction schedules to help avoid repeated disruptions to the same area.
- Creating safe detours whether you travel by foot, bike, bus or car.
- Maintaining access to businesses and the community.
We will also work closely with you (residents, business owners and community groups) throughout the pre-construction and construction periods to minimize disruptions.
What to expect
We’ll keep communities up to date with our ongoing plans and construction schedules as timelines and details are finalized. In general, when construction is underway, here’s what you can expect:
Getting around
- Temporary road closures, lane reductions and detours
- Pathway and sidewalk closures and detours.
- Cycle lane detours or “share the lane”
- Temporary transit stop relocations and detours
Construction activity
- An increase in on-site construction activity, including construction crews, vehicles and heavy equipment. For safety, fencing will be installed around construction areas and on-site signage installed.
- Noise, vibrations and dust
- Noise levels will be monitored
- Construction activity on weekdays and weekends is highly likely.
Utilities
- Temporary utility shutdowns may be required.
- Disruptions will be limited to less than eight hours and prior notice will be given to affected customers at least a day in advance.
Tree removal
- To complete work on some of the projects, some trees will need to be removed.
- Trees are important in our community and removing a tree is always a last resort. Through the design process, we have tried to preserve as many trees as possible throughout construction, but some loss will be unavoidable.
- The City is developing a tree protection and compensation plan that will protect some existing trees and a replanting strategy to replace the canopy.
Blue/Green and Black cart collection
- Changes to black/blue/green cart collection locations, depending on any road detours or closures.