UPGRADE UPDATE: Those things are called 'strata cells'!
By Jody Blomme
It’s another busy week and the downtown streetscape will remain much the same for the next two weeks.
Strata cells are being installed on the south side of Columbia Ave., starting at St. Paul. These strata cells contain the soil in which the trees will grow, as well as the tree irrigation piping, electrical conduit for decorative lighting and the wiring for the street lights. The strata cells are designed to contain the tree roots so that they do not damage the concrete over time and at the same time promote healthy growth and extended lifespan. They are state of the art proven technology. The process will be repeated on the north side of Columbia Ave. once sewer and water service connections are complete
Due to issues of supply and warranty, the tree varieties initially slated to be planted along Columbia Ave. have recently changed. They will now all be varieties of native maple trees. The initial planted tree height will be approximately 15 feet with a 3 inch diameter. In the past, maples weren’t used because of the root structure but now the strata cells will make this a non-issue. The two varieties of maple that will be used do not drop sap and have smaller leaves that fall around the time we will start plowing snow. The two varieties chosen should also change colour in autumn at slightly different times, creating colourfully picturesque autumn scenery in Rossland.
The contractors have rescheduled the removal of the sidewalks to happen later in order to maintain easier access to businesses as long as absolutely possible. Further info on the timeline will be forthcoming.
Please recognise that dogs tied to the construction fence downtown can block pedestrian traffic due to the narrow width of the current sidewalks. Please respect the current dog bylaw.
The rock that has been removed at Columbia Ave. and Queen St. was a MoT decision to ensure a proper road base. This is not a cost to Rossland.
A fly-through video of the finished project can be viewed at Rossland Pro Hardware. Thank you to Pro Hardware for accommodating public presentation of these videos.
The construction crew will take a short and well deserved holiday over the August long weekend from Friday to Monday, Aug 4-6. Parking along Columbia Ave. will be made available over the weekend where safety permits. The Washington St. intersection will remain closed over the long weekend but Spokane St., Queen St. and St. Paul will be open.
We have had some problems with the green and white parking sign sandwich boards going missing. Thankfully, all but one have been returned. Thank you to the person/people who returned them! These signs are (surprisingly!) expensive for us to replace and they serve a very important function in directing people to our downtown businesses. Anyone who knows anything about the disappearance of the sign or its current whereabouts, please call City Hall or the Communications Task Force.
Mayor Granstrom will be holding weekly office hours, welcoming drop-in visits to him at Rossland City Hall from 10:30-11:30 every Monday.
Please contact us at columbiaproject@rossland.ca with your comments, concerns, ideas, or questions. The telephone number for technical questions and concerns is 250-362-2328.
~Your Columbia Project Communication Task Force
