Safety for pedestrians and students will be the biggest impact of a construction project that will see a new sidewalk on Spartan Street (from Fairview Road to Rockcliffe).
Oliver Town council recently approved a contract tender in the amount of $359,415 to Mike Johnson Excavating Ltd. for the Fairview Road Overlay and Spartan Street Sidewalk project.
Director of Operations Shawn Goodsell said council and Town staff have been approached in the past by some residents, the school and parents requesting improvements.
“It took some time but this will hopefully help guide and make it a bit safer for kids to walk along Spartan Street,” Goodsell said.
He noted they would like to continue the sidewalk from Rockcliffe to School Avenue in the future when the Town can budget for the project.
The new sidewalk (on the school side) will extend to the crosswalk at Rockcliffe Road.
The construction will include new curb and gutter work.
Goodsell reiterated the project will provide safer pedestrian (and student) access along Spartan Street, and will expand the Town’s sidewalk system, linking areas together.
Mayor Ron Hovanes likes the fact the sidewalk will get pedestrians off Spartan Street.
“It makes perfect sense for the safety of the kids,” he said.
The mayor noted he would like to have the sidewalk wrap around the entire field on Spartan Street, but he admitted that parking during sporting events would need to be addressed.
The Fairview Road project involves new overlay, concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk on the south side of the road (between Main Street and Co-op Avenue).
It also involves storm and water system improvements.
The construction will change the profile of Fairview Road, but it won’t be the ambitious design that council previously envisioned (with a median).
Goodsell said the benefits of the project include installing concrete curb (none on south side), improving storm catchment, new sidewalk fixes, fixing some old water services and water main looping for better drinking water quality, and a new asphalt overlay from the alley at the Town hall to Nicola Street.
A construction start date has not been determined.
Councillor Jack Bennest commented that once the new overlay is complete on Fairview Road, vehicle speed will likely increase.
By Lyonel Doherty
