Much to the chagrin of residents, a gravel pit will soon be in operation near the intersection of Old Banff Coach Road and 101 Street S.W. in Calgary.
The site, operated by KGL Constructors, will provide much of the material required for the construction of the Southwest Ring Road project. The gravel crushing operation will operate 12 hours a day Monday through Saturday and for 11 hours on Sundays and holidays, 365 days a year.
WATCH BELOW: Hundreds of residents from southwest Calgary communities gathered at a public meeting at the Glenmore Christian Academy on Thursday to voice their concern over a gravel pit being built for the southwest ring road.
Coun. Richard Pootmans, who represents a number of communities in the area, said he’s not happy the crushing operation will be so close to a number of residential areas.
“The only shred of good news in this is that at the end of four years, the right of way for the west ring road will be many metres below grade so the traffic lights, noise, and the rest of it will be below sight for that stretch where the gravel pit excavation stretch was.”
KGL Constructor said in a news release it has put a number of measures in place to decrease the impact of the gravel crushing operation, including increasing the height of a berm separating the site and the community. Air quality and noise monitoring equipment has also been installed.
READ MORE: Path of Elbow River now changing for Southwest Calgary Ring Road construction
“What was doubly frustraing when I first found out about it (was) this pit has been exempted from any city permitting or licensing or approvals whatsover,” Pootmans said. “It’s really hard for a city councillor when he’s representing this area to learn we have no regulatory authority over this project whatsoever.”
The gravel pit will be in operation until May 2021.