Lift station switch part of Harlow berm project
The permanent berm planned for 14 homes in Harlow will facilitate the city’s agenda to close a lift station in the area.
The city plans to close the current lift station at the end of Seventh Avenue, just off First Street SW, and have a pipeline connect to the Harris Street lift station.
Dwight Brown, general manager municipal works, confirmed the plan.
“Yes. It’s very synergistic because by building a berm, now that wasn’t the primary (reason) ... but by putting the berm in it also allows them to put a gravity feed into the Harlow lift station.”
Brown confirmed the gravity feed pipeline would be inside the berm.
An undated official letter from Municipal Works to the residents impacted by the berm says a feasibility study about the Seventh Street lift station confirmed the ability to achieve this.
“The lift station removal was a major factor in the final decision to extend the Harlow berm to the northern extents of Seventh Avenue SW”
Council approved last December the construction of a $3.5-million berm for 14 homes in Harlow, a News story revealed on Dec. 18, with half covered by a provincial government in a grant that is set to expire.
The majority of council was in favour.
“It’s incumbent upon us to use these dollars wisely and a small injection of $1.7 million against a grant (of $1.8 million) will go a long way in protecting that area,” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski at the time. “It’s money well spent and we’d hate to see money go back to the province when it’s the last kick at the can.”
Coun. Kris Samraj told the News on Monday that he spoke up against the decision at the time because he felt it was a lot of money to protect 14 homes. He says he is not surprised to hear that 10 of the 14 homeowners do not want the berm built because of the impact on them.
Only three of the 14 home owners on Finlay and Link Courts, plus Seventh and Eighth avenues, were affected by the flood in 2013, and some have already taken measures to protect themselves in future. A group of residents is against the berm because it will block access and view of the greenbelt and South Saskatchewan River. They also feel this will affect the value of their properties.
Brown insists the berm is not being constructed to use up the flood protection money.
“No, it’s not being driven by the money ... It’s being driven on the mandate to protect the community,” said Brown.
One of the homeowners on Finlay Court, Ryan Shrives, says it has felt as though there was a “hidden agenda” all along, and says residents are feeling “bullied.”
“They’ve not been honest and up front with us,” said Dave
Baron on Finlay Court. “It’s unbelievable.”
Brown says the city’s responsibility is to protect homes now and in the future and there is the potential for the intended permanent berm to protect other homes on Harris Street as well. A berm adjacent to Harris Street was one of the first to be built after the 2013 flood.
Brown says no residents on Harris Street have asked the city to extend the berm.
“But that’s not the question. The issue is that they expect us (to) and we’ve committed to making sure that they remain protected,” said Brown.