Construction on upgrades to Hirst Avenue will soon be underway, including replacement of asbestos-concrete water, storm and sanitary water mains with modern PVC mains.
New photometric-based streetlights will be installed, as will new fire hydrants. The intersection of Hirst and Alberni Highway will become a four-way stop — currently it is right turn only.
Crews will begin surveying, utility marking and making changes to paint markings this week.
The city said ground-breaking is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 30. Construction is expected to be largely complete this year. The work will impact users of this parking lot, but the city said some parking spots will be retained for public use where possible.
Materials and equipment will begin arriving on site today (Aug. 23) and will be stored in the city-owned parking lot at 146 Memorial Avenue (just east of the Parksville Professional Building), according to a media release from the city.
The city-owned parking lot at 171 Memorial (just east of the Island Cleaning Supplies building) will likely not be affected until work on Memorial Avenue starts, the city said.
Construction on the Memorial Avenue plaza project is tentatively scheduled to begin in December and continue into the spring.
“Our team is excited to start construction on the Hirst and Memorial upgrades and enjoying the space next spring. We look forward to working with local stakeholders throughout construction to minimize disruptions where possible while bringing the community’s vision for these spaces to life,” reads the release.
