Businesses across Calgary, as well as in Bowness and Montgomery, continue to wait for details from the city on the impacts of upcoming work on the Bearspaw feeder main.
City officials revealed last week repairs are required on 16 areas of weakness along the Bearspaw feeder main after a significant rupture two months ago.
According to maps provided by the city, the work will primarily take place on 33 Avenue N.W. as well as Parkdale Boulevard N.W.
However, people living and working along 33 Avenue N.W. said they still haven’t received definitive details on detours, road closures, or disruptions during the repair work.
“Nobody knows what’s going to happen,” said Christina Pilarski, who runs her business out of her home along the street.
Pilarski said the only communication people in the area have received so far was a mailout about the issues with the feeder main pipe and tentative construction timelines.
She told Global News construction noise would be a significant disruption as much of her day is spent in virtual meetings.
“When I’m asking basic questions like ‘are you going to tear up the whole road?’ And they don’t have an answer to that, it’s concerning,” Pilarski said.
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In a statement to Global News, the City of Calgary said mitigation plans and definitive information are still being developed.
“The City is currently assessing the potential impacts of the upcoming construction activities, which will be used to develop plans to help mitigate construction impacts and prepare area businesses and residents for construction,” a city spokesperson said in a statement. “We will be sharing detailed information with impacted residents and businesses first and then the media/public at our media availabilities once confirmed.”
Last week, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she met with 45 businesses as well as several area business groups to discuss the upcoming construction.
“We want to have no impact on businesses,” Gondek said during an update Friday. “We will continue to watch what we’re doing in terms of water consumption.”
Stage 4 water restrictions are set to take effect on Aug. 26, two days before repair work begins on the Bearspaw feeder main.
It’s the second round of the city’s strictest water conservation rules, which bans all outdoor water use, after the measures were in place for weeks due to the initial break along the feeder main.
“It effectively shuts down the green industry in so many ways,” said Eagle Lake Landscape Supply general manager Mark Janzen.
“When you can’t water in new sod or new plants, it really throws things into disarray.”
Janzen said the local landscaping industry is still working to rebound from the restrictions earlier this summer, which he said resulted in canceled projects and increased financial strain on contractors.
“When the restrictions are planned to come in place is when it’s ideal to be installing sod and plants and trees and other green material,” Janzen told Global News. “It’s hopefully out of the high heat of the summer where less water is required just to keep things alive.”
Eagle Lake Landscape Supply is working with Landscape Alberta and several other companies to communicate concerns with the City of Calgary at a meeting on Tuesday.
“It’s important that everybody has drinking water through the winter, we’re not looking to take any of that,” Janzen said. “What we’re trying to do is find realistic solutions for the industry to continue operating through these challenging times.”
He added this could include modified restrictions for the landscaping industry.
Another update from the City of Calgary on the Bearspaw feeder main repairs is expected on Tuesday.