City to charge developer to repair ruts in pathway
A developer building a house in the middle of the Mill Creek Ravine created ruts in the shared-use path and will be required to pay for it, say city officials.
City crews were out Thursday patching the asphalt path. They’ll check on it repeatedly while heavy construction continues, said city general supervisor Clarence Wong. If local residents continue to have issues, “they can let us know through 311 and we’ll be out there to the best of our ability.”
This new house has been contentious among local residents.
Sandwiched between the popular path and the creek, it’s being built on land Edmonton once tried and failed to expropriate. A new owner is building a three-storey dream home with a double garage that results in residents having to cross the busy shared-use path everyday.
Sixteen people turned out to oppose the house when the community league appealed to the subdivision and development appeal board. But the attempt to stop the development failed. Construction started this summer. It’s located at the end of 93 Avenue off Scona Road, 100 metres from any other house.
Former city councillor Allan Bolstad was one of several residents to complain about the damage.
“You could wiggle your way around it if you’re careful. Not so much in the dark,” he said.
He submitted a photo of the crumbling asphalt.
Wong said city officials did not take any baseline assessments of city infrastructure in this case, but they’re confident the damage was caused by heavy truck traffic associated with the development. Patching will ensure it stays “safe and functional,” he said, estimating the cost as several hundred dollars per treatment.
Those costs will be charged back to the developer after the heavy construction is done, he said.
Fortunately for the developer, the Strathcona neighbourhood is scheduled to undergo neighbourhood renewal between 2019 to 2021.
“When that comes in, all the infrastructure will be reconstructed and upgraded to current standards,” said Wong.
That means the developer will be charged for the temporary patches but not full reconstruction.