Updated: Stormwater project approved without pedestrian bridge, trees, or promise of a new aboiteau
NOTE: Updated Wednesday, February 15, 2023 to reflect a decision by Tantramar council.
The province of New Brunswick says it has not committed to replacing an aboiteau that would play a key role in draining a multi-million floodwater system slated to be completed in Sackville by the end of this year.
The engineer heading up the final phase of the Lorne Street Floodwater Mitigation project was in Sackville town hall on Monday to give Tantramar council an overview of the project.
At their meeting on Tuesday, Council awarded a contract to Beale and Inch Construction worth just over $5 million to complete the project, which involves digging a third retention pond on the far side of Charles Street, and channeling water under roads and the CN rail line out to the Tantramar River. That’s where the water would flow out through an aboiteau owned by the province, which lets fresh water flow out into the river, but blocks tidal water from flowing in.
Unlike the last time he appeared before council, project lead Pierre Plourde of Englobe Engineering seemed confident that the replacement of the aboiteau was not a dealbreaker for the project to work.
“Our stormwater strategy is somewhat dependent on that aboiteau, but not entirely,” Plourde told council Monday. “What will happen when the aboiteau is upgraded in the future, it will allow the water to move faster within the system.… Continue