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Centennial Park work, Seventh Avenue upgrade to move forward as planned

HUMBOLDT — The city’s major projects, including $1.8 million worth of work on Centennial Park, are still going forward despite restrictions set due to the pandemic.
centennial-park
Illustration by City of Humboldt

HUMBOLDT — The city’s major projects, including $1.8 million worth of work on Centennial Park, are still going forward despite restrictions set due to the pandemic.

“As of right now our construction plans are still going ahead as scheduled,” said Michael Ulriksen, Humboldt’s leisure services director.

Installation of the fences around the ball diamond are expected to start at the end of this month or the beginning of May

“We've got a company out of Prince Albert that is still, as of this point, committed to coming here in that timeframe to get all the fencing work done,” Ulriksen said.

Catterall & Wright Consulting Engineers is still expected to design, tender and oversee construction for the paved parking and roadways, while city staff and some contractors will work on the ball diamonds, groundwork and trails.

Ulriksen said that since user groups can’t use the facilities, it might speed up construction as there will be less need to co-ordinate recreation groups and construction workers.

“We'll take advantage of that while we're in the current situation but we’re obviously hoping that we're able to see things go back to normal sooner than later.”

Peter Bergquist, Humboldt’s public works director, said that $903,000 in paving work and $1.2 million in water system upgrades are also moving forward, despite some delays from consultants that have been adapting to the pandemic.

“But other than that, we still plan on proceeding with the projects that we had scheduled for this year.”

The public works director said that most of his department’s work is expected to start in late June or early July.

“We're hoping by that time that the issues within the province have eased.”

Spring activities, like pothole patching, dust control and street sweeping are still going as planned, with as much social distancing between workers as possible.

“Half of the crew is at the water distribution facility and half the crews at the Public Works facility and split between those crews are members of the transportation side and the water utility side, so in case we get a virus case, we still have another team that can take over the essential services,” Bergquist said.

Projects planned for this year include:

  • Paving and improvements to Seventh Street between Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue
  • Paving of short sections of Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue just off Seventh Street
  • Water main replacements for:
    • Ninth Avenue between Ninth Street and 13th Street 
    • 10th Street between Ninth Avenue and Eighth Avenue 
    • Fourth Avenue between Main Street and Seventh Street