Eight kilometres of pipe, first road pave way for homes in Blatchford

With more than eight kilometres of pipe in the ground and the first paved road, city officials are keen to see buildings go up in Blatchford next year.

“We’re making exactly the kind of progress we’re intending to do,” said development manager Mark Hall, giving an update on the neighbourhood’s progress Monday.

The city’s call for builders closes Friday. City officials hope to select builders willing to commit to townhouses and low-rise apartments at a wide range of price points and get homes move-in ready by 2019.

To date, 60 builders have expressed interest, Hall said.

Officials hope to have contracts signed and a detailed building program by spring.

Blatchford is a new residential development just north of downtown on the former 216-hectare municipal airport lands.

City officials say 30,000 people may one day live there.

Officials are aiming for about 250 units in Phase 1, which is going up around the old airport control tower in the south-central part of the site, north of Kingsway.

Officials also need to get the district energy sharing system up and running for those first families. They haven’t signed a drilling contract yet, but hope to have 570 shallow geothermal holes drilled under the storm water pond starting in January.

The holes will allow Blatchford residents to use geothermal heat for homes and businesses.

It will be the largest geothermalbased neighbourhood of its kind.

The city looked at contracting a third party to build the geothermal system and take the risk, but decided to get it up and running first themselves, said branch manager Brian Latte.

“From the city’s perspective, they want to put their foot in the ground here, recognize that it’s a proven thing,” Latte said.

“From there, (maybe we’ll) get a broader cross-section of utility companies interested.”

Latte estimated the utility will need grants of $80 million and $100 million to build out for future phases. Those grant applications are still before the provincial and federal governments.

From the city’s perspective, they want to put their foot in the ground here.

ED KAISER Blatchford development manager Mark Hall surveys the site of the future community on the old airport lands Monday. About 8.4 kilometres of underground utilities have been laid to date, including water lines for fire hydrants.