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Coquitlam looks to build up sunken boulevards

By jeremyshepherd

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October 17, 2023

Compacted soil can make it harder for plants to take root. stock photo supplied USDA NRCS South Dakota

It’s about getting rid of that sinking feeling.

Coquitlam recently put out a request for proposals in the hopes of finding a contractor to build up the city’s sunken boulevards.

The municipality has found a “more-than-typical amount of soil settlement” in several locations, according to Coquitlam’s manager of capital projects and inspections Chad Braley.

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“While these do not currently pose a risk to the public, we are investigating options to restore the existing sunken boulevards to match sidewalk height, and ensure that they continue to support tree health and contribute to a beautiful community,” Braley explained in an email to the Dispatch.

Soil settlement can be caused by degradation of organic material as well as damage and compaction, Braley explained.

In order to boost those boulevards, the city is look for a contractor who can start work this fall or by the spring of 2024 at the latest. The work must be finished by next spring, according to the request for proposals.

The work is set to include putting in and compacting topsoil, grading, as well as work to control erosion.

The job also includes protecting tree roots, keeping mulch from tree trunks, removing debris and controlling traffic around work sites.

Higher priority routes are in purple with lower-priority routes in blue. Areas highlighted in light green have no issues. image supplied

Areas to be repaired include portions of the following streets:

Hart Street and Gauthier Avenue
Delestre Avenue
A stretch of Como Lake Avenue
Johnson Street
Nanton Street and Coast Meridian Road
Creson Close
Small patches of David Avenue

Bids on the project are set to close Oct. 19.

Author

A chiropractor and a folk singer, after having one great kid, decided to push their luck and have one more, a boy they named Jeremy Shepherd.

Shepherd grew up around Blue Mountain Park in Coquitlam, following a basketball around and trying his best to get to the NBA (it didn’t work out, at least not yet).

With no career plans after graduating Porter Elementary school, Jeremy Shepherd pursued higher education at Como Lake Middle School and eventually, Centennial High School.

Approximately 1,000 movies and several beers later in life, Shepherd made a change.

Having done nothing worth writing, he decided to see if he could write something worth reading.

Since graduating journalism school at Langara College, Shepherd has been a reporter, editor and, reluctantly, a content provider for community newspapers around Metro Vancouver for more than 10 years.

He worked with dogged reporters, eloquently indignant curmudgeons and creative photographers, all of whom shared a little of what they knew.

Now, as he goes about the business of raising two fascinating humans alongside a wonderful partner, Shepherd is delighted to report news and tell stories in the Tri-Cities.

He runs, reads, and is intrigued by art, science, smart cities and new ideas. He is pleased to meet you.