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William Hawrelak Park Rehabilitation

Airboy said:
Deep and Shallow utilities can be done all year round, the parking lots will take the most time. The Pavilions can be done as phased work. I still cannot see why this is closed for 3 years.
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I've never dealt with the CoE on any project but it's taken them from June till about another week or two from now to wrap up the 35m x 85m parking lot rebuild at the Kinsmen this year with virtually zero days of non-work besides the June rain. I chatted briefly with the super on the job and he noted that their specifications were pretty intense.
 
It's disappointing that it would be closed for a couple years. But if they are taking the time to do this, please ensure the job is done right, and the end result is spectacular. I feel that the budget for this should have been higher and more should have been done for our premier park in the city. Overall happy with the project but disappointed in that there isn't anything that is obviously inspiring about the project.
 
Gronk! said:
edmontonjournal.com

Frustrations rise over costs of Hawrelak Park rehabilitation project

Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz is frustrated with the high cost of the Hawrelak Park Rehabilitation Project.
edmontonjournal.com edmontonjournal.com
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I'm not a Janz guy but I really appreciate his frustrations on this one. I realize that $70m was a pre-design estimate, but I struggle to comprehend how exactly that number balloons up to $127m a year later. Inflation is a factor sure but an 82% year over year increase shows that either admin was completely out to lunch on their original estimate and/or the scope has changed substantially.
 
While I can appreciate that a number of trees will be impacted, 20% seems excessive and given how long it takes to grow things here and their inherent attachment to enjoyment of this park is very disappointing. If you take down a house and want to do infill, the hoops you must go through to remove a single mature tree and level of protection expected for boulevard/COE trees is substantial.

'
  • The city plans to cut down 220 mature trees in Hawrelak Park, nearly 19% of the park’s 1,182 total trees, as part of the three-year rehabilitation project set to begin March 13. A new tree will be planted for every tree removed, according to the city’s website, which does not specify the number of trees being removed. Kristine Kowalchuk, chair of the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition, didn’t recall hearing during public engagement about the city’s decision to remove 220 trees and said her organization “feels the whole project has lacked transparency.”'
- Taproot
 
I would guess that basically all the trees around the ampitheatre, plus a section of trees along the west side of the pond are gonezo.
 
That's the problem is that 20% is already a big number but if a disproportionate number of them are in the busier central areas the effect is made worse.
 
I'm hoping it was done as due course, but protection of healthy mature trees should have been the utmost paramount zenith of things here.
 
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