UPGRADE UPDATE: Smile at your local flag-person and get ready to celebrate...
By Jody Blomme
Downtown Rossland will have a constantly evolving look over the next two weeks. We are really hitting the home stretch now and day after day we will be seeing visible progress.
By the end of this week, the laying of asphalt on Columbia and the laneway beside Subway will be complete. Lines will be painted on the new asphalt next week. The installation of light posts will follow. The last thing to go up on Columbia Ave will be the bus-stops.
The pouring of concrete on Columbia will be done by week’s end. Paving stones will follow and should be completed by the end of next week. Landscaping has begun and the trees are on their way.
Harry Lefevre square should be completed in the next two weeks. We are currently awaiting certain electrical components to arrive so work can continue.
Washington underground infrastructure is complete. Roadway base and grading is taking place this week. Curbing will begin next week or late this week, and pouring of concrete for sidewalks will happen next week. The intersection of First Ave and Washington St. will likely remain closed until the end of October.
The cutting of the asphalt around the manholes on Columbia Ave last week was a normal part of the process. The manholes have now been raised to their final height to align with the finished asphalt surface.
The flag-persons have a very tough, stressful job controlling traffic and maintaining driver, pedestrian and worker safety. They work very long hours in all kinds of weather and have to deal with a variety of personalities. For the remaining few weeks, let’s all be sure to be kind and friendly and thank them for all their hard work this summer whenever we have the chance.
The Rossland Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Task Force and the Columbia Project Communications Task Force are working with members of the business community to plan a grand opening party. There are many fun ideas in the works and it will be a great party, but we will need many more volunteers to help pull it off, particularly on the day of the event itself. If you would like to contribute your ideas, time and/or skills, please contact us at columbiaproject@rossland.ca or call Renee at the Rossland Chamber of Commerce at 250-362-5666.
The date for the grand opening main event has been set at October 27. We encourage local businesses and anyone who is interested to become involved in this exciting occasion.
Feel free to visit Mayor Granstrom on Tuesday, October 9th from 10:30-11:30am at City Hall. To see graphics portraying the end-goal of this construction project, please take a look at the video display in the window of Rossland ProHardware, or watch them on the City of Rossland website at http://www.rossland.ca/columbiawashington-construction-updates.
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.
