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General Manager’s Report, Infrastructure Services
Report from the General Manager
INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
Infrastructure Services (IS) is home to the Transportation, Utilities, and Infrastructure departments, and is the largest department in the M.D. Just over $69 million of the M.D.’s 2020 budget went to IS. In 2020, the department updated the Roads Classification Map (originally created in 2019) which assigns a category to each M.D.-owned road. Each category outlines the specification of each road — taking into account location, traffic volume, and surface type — and sets a standard for future capital road projects. This classification system goes hand-inhand with the capital road project priority map, which outlines road construction projects for the next five years. The Transportation Department has equipment to help with all of the maintenance and construction projects handled over a year, including graders, loaders, excavators, and heavy-duty trucks that are used to deliver aggregate in the summer and plow snow and apply sand in the winter. Also in 2020, IS along with Council began creating the flooding and drainage project priority map to help identify, alleviate, and mitigate flooding in the M.D. At the end of 2020, the M.D. took over operations and maintenance responsibility of the Bonnyville Regional Airport. There was minimal impact on the 2020 budget for this new endeavour, with upgrades being planned for 2021. Meanwhile, in Utilities, we saw the continued progress of the regional waterline from Cold Lake to the Town of Bonnyville. In Infrastructure, work on the new grader shop/fire hall in Ardmore and the fire hall in Fort Kent was well underway, while the M.D. also took possession of the old Kopala building at the southwest end of Bonnyville to become the new home of the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority administration centre, as well as Station 5 (Bonnyville), EMS, and the 911 call centre.
DRAINAGE & FLOODING
Work on a drainage map began in 2020, with the final map being passed in January 2021. The map outlines projects to be undertaken by the M.D. and how to tackle the identified issues in a systematic manner. In the spring of 2020, Transportation staff put a significant focus on culvert steaming to mitigate flooding and assist in drainage from the melting snowpack. A draft Master Drainage Plan for Crane Lake was created. Due to COVID-19, a public engagement session was unable to be held. It will be rescheduled in 2021. The plan will be finalized after receiving public input. The plan identifies problem areas, as well as improvements to be undertaken, in phases, on a priority basis.
HARDSHIP PROGRAM
Residents who, due to circumstance or life conditions cannot perform snow removal, can enrol in the M.D.’s Hardship Program. This program sees M.D. staff clear out driveways of residents who cannot after a large snow event. This is a free service that is conducted after all M.D. roadways have been cleared. In 2020, there were 185 people utilizing the service.
INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES info@md.bonnyville.ab.ca 780.826.3171 Ext. 9300
INFRA-
STRUCTURE
The Infrastructure Department is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all M.D. buildings. There are 22 buildings. This includes the Main Administration Office, Parks Shop, T & U Shop, grader shops, and fire halls. The department is also home to the Energy Management Program. This program, partially financed by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre, has the M.D. partnered with the Village of Glendon to find opportunities to help the municipalities reduce energy use and utility costs.
ROAD MAINTENANCE
The M.D. has over 2,400 kilometres of roads within its borders. One of the busiest is the 48-kilometre La Corey North Resource Road. Starting at Highway 55 west and running north, this is the road that handles the majority of the oil and gas industry traffic accessing the Cold Lake Oil Sands. On average, the M.D. spends about $500,000 per year for the maintenance of the La Corey North Resource Road. High traffic counts and heavy loads require the road to be kept in tip-top shape. Dust control on gravel roads, especially in the summer and during dry weather, can be an issue for residents. The M.D. uses a few methods to help keep down the dust. During the 2020 season, staff used cold mix to complete 20 projects at various locations (for a total of four kilometres). MG30, which is a magnesium-based application, was used for 12 projects over 23.8 kilometres. The department is always looking at new technologies in a bid to keep our roads in good shape, and our residents happy. In 2020, Transportation used Gravel Lock on a 1.6-kilometre stretch to test its effectiveness.
BRIDGES
The M.D. owns 120 local road bridges. In 2020, two bridges were replaced. Due to erosion caused by high water levels in the Beaver River, there were repairs made to the south side abutment of the Lessard Bridge.
UTILITIES (WATER & SEWER)
The Utilities department looks after the water supply (which is currently supplied via a 10-inch waterline from the City of Cold Lake) to Ardmore and Fort Kent and a number of rural customers. The department also looks after the sewer systems in those hamlets, as well as the lagoon systems and lift stations in Ardmore, Fort Kent, and Therien. Fort Kent had 121 water connections and 117 sewer connections in 2020, while Ardmore had 156 water connections and 141 sewer connections.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
There is now a five-year plan in place for capital roads projects. In 2020, contractors and in-house staff paved 9.2 kilometres of roads in the M.D., rebuilt six kilometres of gravel roads, and completed eight Rip and Relay projects for a total of 27.2 kilometres.
The Year in NUMBERS 24
Road ban permits issued
2
60,500 m3
Water volume to Ardmore 42,000 m3
Water volume to Fort Kent
