Construction on the River Erosion Control Project wraps up for the season

 

 

 

Construction on the River Erosion Control Project has come to a close for this year, and work will resume in the spring of 2017.

 

The project, which has been in the works since 2013, involves the construction of ten erosion control spurs (rock structures) to control and reduce erosion on the south bank of the Athabasca River from Riverboat Park to the Whitecourt Golf & Country Club. The Athabasca River bank has eroded over 30 metres south in places during the last five years, put- ting parts of Town and privately owned land at risk. The project will protect further erosion of the south banks in the areas of Riverboat Park, Millar Western Forest Products, Rotary Park and the Whitecourt Golf & Country Club. Kana Oilfield Services started construction in July 2016 and completed the water work up to the end of 47th Street in mid-September.

• All spurs up to the golf course are
• The snowmobile trail north of the Millar Western mill site has been
• All walking trails in the Rotary Park/47th Street area have been re-opened to the

 

The project is valued at $6 million, and is a partnership project between the Town of Whitecourt, Millar Western Forest Products, the provincial and federal governments.

 

“This project has been in the works for several years, and over the last few months we have seen tremendous progress,” noted Whitecourt Mayor Maryann Chichak. “Thank you to our partners for their commitment to helping safeguard our community.”

 

Applications for next year’s work have already been submitted to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and work will resume in the spring of 2017 once approvals have been granted by the federal government.

• Work next year, which has been awarded to Kana Oilfield Services, will include completion of the tenth spur located by