First Avenue sidewalk sections being repaired

By Diana Walker

Crews are grinding, cutting, pouring, smoothing and ruffing up new surfaces on many sidewalk sections on both sides of First Avenue. Passers-by are wondering why different sections are being treated differently. I asked Debbie Ross, Oyen CAO to explain.

Here is her response:

“The work on the sidewalks is warranty work from the 1st Ave project. The concrete is strong, but during those two years that the sidewalks were done, the cement composition (formula) was changed. It resulted in the pitting or flaking of the top layer of the cement.

During those two years, this happened all around Alberta.

The crews are putting on a product used successfully in other communities to address the top pitting. Some sections were in worse shape and are being replaced totally.”