The Town of Ladysmith is closing a section of the Holland Creek Trail (HCT) system from August 8 through September 27 to make room for the construction of a new chlorination facility at the Arbutus Reservoir site.
John Manson, the city’s director of public works, said the closure affects the HCT along the east side of the creek between Crystal Falls and the wood bridge linking the east (south) and west (north) portions of the HCT loop. This section of trail will remain closed until work crews have completed a pipeline between Colonia Drive and the new facility, Manson said.
As work progresses, a second section of the HCT between the wood bridge and Colonia Drive will be closed for “three or four days” in mid September, Manson added. During this time, the HCT will remain open along the north side of the creek from Dogwood Drive to Mackie Road and along the south side of the creek betwen Dogwood Drive and Crystal Falls.
Access to the creek crossing and to the Heart Lake Loop will be available from Battie Drive or via the Rotary Lookout Trail, Manson added.
Ladysmith is constructing a new chlorination facility to replace an aging one, built in the 1960s, that Manson described as “worn out.”
Replacing the city’s chlorination plant is step one of two as Ladysmith overhauls the infrastructure it relies on for disinfecting its drinking water.
Phase two will involve the adoption of a secondary “level of protection” as the city vies to meet new Ministry of Health guidelines, Manson said.
Choices include filtration or secondary disinfection using ozone or ultraviolet radiation — UV is used by the Capital Region District as part of its disinfection strategy — and a decision should be reached on what method the city will adopt “within the next year or two.”
“We’re currently testing our water,” Manson said, “and the results of those tests will tell us what kind of treatment is feasible.”
“Most, if not all” of the city’s water supply passes through the current chlorination facility, Manson said, and it will remain operational until the new plant is up and running.
For more information on Ladysmith’s water management plan, contact Public Works at 250-245-6445.
