Beautifying downtown core

Boulevard in front of community hall getting an upgrade

Folks have probably noticed the work that has been underway on the boulevard in front of the community hall on Birch Avenue.

The work is part of a downtown beautification project the District of 100 Mile House put in its five-year financial plan earlier this year.

The three-year boulevard and shoulder upgrade will see the uprooting, replacement and redesign of the overgrown plants.

The upgrade around the community hall includes one lot north and south of the hall, this year. It will move on to Third and Fourth streets, including paving from First to Fourth streets in 2014; and finish up from the Fields store to First Street in 2015.

District director of operations Garry Laursen says the first phase of the project has a budget of $60,000 and the work should be completed by the end of June.

Laursen notes Bree Contracting Ltd. started removing the old dead vegetation, which had reached the end of its usable lifespan and a couple of large trees that were rubbing against a building, about a month ago.

The crew recently removed the three concrete pads and the benches that sat on them. They also removed all of the planter curbs, and a lot of concrete in that area, he adds.

K2 Concrete, out of 83 Mile, is doing the cement work, as forms went in last week and they poured the cement on Monday. Finishing off the brick work will be next on the agenda.

Laursen says there will be a little bit more room for plants at the north end of the plaza in front of the hall.

He adds the trees and plants have been ordered and are sitting at the local nurseries waiting to be planted later this week or next week.

Currently, he is waiting for the new, powder-coated metal benches, which will have small tables attached to them.

“It should all be looking pretty good by the end of June.”

100 Mile House Free Press