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By Dylana Kneeshaw

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Multiple construction projects getting underway this week in Kamloops

May 11, 2020 | 4:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops is taking advantage of empty facilities and reduced road traffic to tackle some spring construction projects.

Work began today (May 11) on the Tranquille Road utility improvements, and this week construction will start on the Canada Games Pool upgrades.

Capital Projects Manager Darren Crundwell says Tranquille Road from Southill Street to 12th Street will be torn up so crews can replace the aging sanitary main below. The main carries sewage for the whole North Shore, and sits about 5 metres down, so the road will need to be dug up extensively.

While Tranquille is a major roadway, Crundwell doesn’t expect the city’s traffic flow to be as interrupted as it was when West Victoria Street was being torn up.

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“The traffic volumes are I believe not quite half, but not near as busy as West Victoria Street, and there’s a lot of different routes around Tranquille so we’re not anticipating it to be as bad, but we’ll still communicate the same way we would regardless.”

Along with the main replacement, upgrades along the corridor include pedestrian paths, landscaping, and intersection and boulevard improvements.

Crundwell says crews will also be keeping an eye out for any unusual, or historic finds as they dig.

“We’ve planned the exact same way we did with West Victoria Street, working with Tk’emlups, and our archaeologists,” he explains, “I’m not going to say we’re going to find things, but it’s a very important corridor, and there’s not a lot of documented finds, so we’re thinking the potential is as high, or higher than West Vic. But we’ve got everything in place to address it if it comes up.”

On the South Shore, work will begin ahead of time on the Canada Games Pool improvements at the Tournament Capital Centre. Crundwell says without user groups and sports competitions to work around during the pandemic, the city decided to use the opportunity to get a head start on construction.

“Right now the demolition – we are ripping down the roof, the walls – the pool will be completely exposed, so the public will see not much public in there right now but when they are in there, they’ll see that work going on. We are going to keep the gym open and the track open if it does go back.”

He notes that construction won’t be as efficient as normal, given the physical spacing workers need to have. But, should everything run smoothly, the city expects work to finish in late December or early January.