A contracting company will be getting an exemption from the noise bylaw in Port Hardy, to complete a watermain replacement project, allowing work to begin at 7:00 am on Sundays.
During the District of Port Hardy’s regular council meeting on Dec. 12, IWC Excavation Ltd. submitted a correspondence requesting an exemption from the noise bylaw.
The contractor is currently working on waterman replacement, Fort Rupert Reservoir, and water treatment reservoir site development which is scheduled to be completed on May 15, 2018.
“IWC Excavation Ltd is herby requesting permission to work on the above-mentioned project starting at 7:00 am on Sundays and Statutory Holidays, commencing on Jan. 2, 2018,” read the correspondence.
It explained that “Due to the time-sensitive nature of this project, and IWC Excavation’s crew working 10 and 4 shifts, the ability to start work earlier on Sundays and Statutory holidays will help maintain schedule and overall completion of the project.”
Port Hardy bylaw 949 prohibits construction work to start on “any day before 7:00 am (9:00 am on Sundays) or after 10:00 pm.”
Before the motion was carried, Counc. Dennis Dugas raised some concerns with the early start times.
“There are a number of churches in that particular area that will have service on Sunday morning it would be nice if the contractor would take that into consideration,” said Dugas, adding “We do have schools in the area, for example, Avalon will have some work done in front of the school.”
Coun. Pat Corbett-Labatt noted that 8:00 am might be a better time to start.
“I’m just thinking this is going to be going on for almost 6 months that is going to be pretty trying on anyone that wants to sleep in on a Sunday,” she said.
However, Director of Operations Abbas Farahbakhsh said the work is “not necessarily going to land on too many Sundays.”
He also noted that although the contractor would be allowed to begin work at 7:00 am it doesn’t necessarily mean they would begin to make noise at 7:00 am.
“By the time they get their equipment in place and warmed up and all those things, you might hear the heavy equipment running around 7:30 am or 8:00 am,” he said.
Chief Administrative Officer Allison McCarrick then highlighted the time-sensitive nature of the project.
“It is grant funding and while we have had an extension of the grant funding perhaps we want to not take it past the March 31 deadline as much as we can,” she said, adding “We we are just trying to help the contractors have a schedule that will work for them so they can help us get the project done on time.”
After a vote, the motion to allow IWC Excavation Ltd. to begin work on Sundays and Statutory Holidays at 7:00 am was carried.
– with files from Tyson Whitney
