Edmonton’s Harbin Gate being dismantled this weekend for Valley Line LRT construction

The gateway to Edmonton’s Chinatown is being taken down and moved into temporary storage this weekend to make way for Valley Line LRT construction.

Work is expected to get underway on Friday when TransEd crews will begin dismantling and moving the ornate Harbin Gate from 97 Street and 102 Avenue to a storage facility in Cromdale.

The Harbin Gate has been a part of downtown Edmonton for three decades, built with materials gifted from Edmonton’s sister city, Harbin, China.

A notice on the TransEd Valley Line LRT website advised there would be parking restrictions and more noise in the area because of the work.

To accommodate the work, there will be no parking along the route from Friday night to Sunday night. Any cars parked in these areas will be towed to a nearby street.

TransEd said there will also be noise from the disassembly on Saturday and Sunday. The main structure will be dismantled into three parts, as the sheer size of the gate makes it impossible for crews to transport it whole.

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READ MORE: Decorative lions removed from Edmonton’s Harbin Gate

There will be noise associated with the work from Nov. 4 to Nov. 5. TransEd said it has obtained an overnight roadwork permit so work can take place during the night in order to minimize major daytime traffic disruptions.

There will also be no parking on the route between the gate and the storage facility (see map below.) Any cars parked in these areas will be towed to a nearby street.

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Edmonton police vehicles, with lights activated, will be escorting the gate as it is moved overnight.

TransEd had originally planned to move the gate back in April, but due to several factors, it was rescheduled. TransEd said the change did not affect the overall timeline, as the gate just had to be taken down sometime in 2017.

READ MORE: Gateway to Edmonton’s Chinatown being moved to make room for Valley Line LRT

TransEd said while a lot of Valley Line work is underway south of the river, residents will notice construction gearing up in the downtown area as well.

READ MORE: Valley Line LRT construction jams up traffic in southeast Edmonton

TransEd Partners is a four-company consortium between Bombardier Transportation, engineering firm Bechtel, construction company EllisDon and Fengate Capital Management.

The Valley Line from downtown to Mill Woods is expected to be operational by 2020