EXSHAW – The Municipal District of Bighorn is ready to tender a project to install permanent flood mitigation for Exshaw Creek and presented the final design at an open house for the community last week.
“During the planning, some of the major concerns were the amount of debris coming down the creek,” explained project engineer Jake Marotz.
“We wanted to make sure the water stayed in the creek channel because during the flood, water actually left the creek channel and went down into the hamlet so that’s what we want to avoid.”
The $10.6 million project that has been in the works since the 2013 flood is now slated for a 2020 completion date with a contractor expected to be chosen by March 15.
Major components of the project include building a debris retention structure, channel excavation, construction of a sediment pond, weir and spillway, installation of channel armouring, and installation of a pedestrian bridge.
The Federal government announced $1.9 million of funding for the project last fall, adding to the $3.3 million committed from the province earlier that year and in addition to $3.7 million committed from Lafarge in material and land – totaling $8.9 million.
The MD of Bighorn is expected to cover the remaining cost of the project, including the pedestrian bridge that sparked controversy at a previous MD of Bighorn council meeting, with elected officials opting to go behind closed doors to discuss the issue.
“The MD elected to proceed with the pedestrian bridge. Funding is not granted through federal or provincial funding, but the MD realized the importance of the bridge,” Marotz said.
The engineer estimated the cost of the replacement bridge at $500,000, but noted that planners would not know the true cost until bids are received at the end of tender.
The director of planning for the MD confirmed the project would move ahead with the bridge, despite lack of federal or provincial funding, but did not comment on the estimated cost.
Open house attendees were full of curiosity regarding construction of the project, but also relieved to see the flood mitigation plans finally
moving forward.
“After the flood we were lucky we weren’t one of the ones that got affected, but all our neighbours did,” Carol Agar, Exshaw resident of 30 years said.
“I think this may help, we’re hoping.”
After the tender is awarded, construction is scheduled to start April 1 with the majority of major construction set to be complete by the end of October.
“Everyone knows it needs to be done – it’s too bad it’s going to look like Cougar Creek, but it is what it is and that’s what it takes,” said MD community services coordinator Deb Grady.
