South Pedestrian Gate and Stairway

​Overview

We're gathering preliminary feedback on the feasibility of:

• Modifying a pedestrian gate at our fenceline to increase safe accessibility to the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Installing a wooden staircase or steps outside our fenceline to connect the pedestrian gate referenced above and the multi-use trail located south of the facility.

This project is being considered as it increases the safety of staff and community partners using this entrance to access the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. Our records indicate that over the past couple of years we had the following number of visitors coming to site for tours of the facility:

• 2018 – 35 tours (643 people) and 4342 students through RiverWatch Alberta.
• 2019 – 43 tours (702 people) and 4040 students through RiverWatch Alberta.

The students that tour the facility through the RiverWatch Alberta program get out of their rafts at the boat launch and walk on the paved multi-use pathway to the pedestrian gate mentioned above.

As shown on the image below, minimal undergrowth removal would be required to install the stairway. We would replace removed vegetation in alignment with the recommendations included in our Vegetation Plan. The design of the stairway or steps would minimize impacts to existing terrain and ground conditions. Based on public feedback, if this project were to proceed it would be initiated in 2021.

Site plan

Stairway location: looking towards the shared use pathway

Stairway location: looking towards the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant

Stairway design options

 As shown below (design options A and B), we're currently assessing different design options for the proposed stairway.

​Project details

• Schedule: Based on public feedback, if we continue to pursue this project it would be initiated in 2021. Project updates would be provided to the public prior to construction.
• Hours of construction: We anticipate the hours of work to be Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
• What you may see during construction: Company vehicles, crews, equipment, a tandem truck, hydrovac trucks, excavators and flatbed trucks would be used during construction. We don't anticipate any long-term traffic impacts to the roads located near the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. 
• Trail closures: Although contractors would be working in proximity to the multi-use trail located south of the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant, no trail closures are currently anticipated.
• Road closures: No road closures are anticipated as a result of this work.
• Noise: This work will create typical noise associated with construction. We will comply with the City of Edmonton's Community Standards Bylaw for Noise Control.
• Workspace: We'll be locating laydown areas within the existing fenceline of the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant. All construction activities will be in accordance with City of Edmonton's bylaws, occupational health and safety requirements, as well as EPCOR's health, safety and environment procedures and guidelines. No impacts to park users are anticipated.
• Reclamation: Once construction is complete, excavations will be backfilled and areas near the stairway impacted by construction will need to be re-vegetated in accordance with applicable City of Edmonton design standards.
• Permits: All required approvals will be obtained from the City of Edmonton prior to construction.
• Environmental considerations: The amount of vegetation removal required for the project has been reduced as much as possible. We anticipate that minimal undergrowth removal will be required to accommodate the project. Trees located along the perimeter of the fenceline and in Gold Bar Park will not be impacted. The project will not impact any watercourses, wetlands or other waterbodies. The shrubs removed will be replaced on site in alignment with our Vegetation Plan​.