First, it was the rain that caused the delays.
Then, in the summer, the heat and dust.
Now, city officials say construction at Port Coquitlam's Blakeburn Lagoons is behind about a month because of this year's weather.
This spring, the city had predicted the $3-million park project — located east of Blakeburn elementary and north of Carnoustie Golf Club — would be wrapped up in November.
"At this time, the park will remain closed over the winter to give the plants an opportunity to root without public disturbance," said Lee-Anne Truong, PoCo's capital projects manager, adding, "The grand opening of the park will be in 2018."
Truong said most of the earthworks were completed in July and August such as clearing and grubbing the 27-acre brownfield, adding a soil amender and deepening the lagoons, among other things.
And, this fall, crews with Western Watershed Design Ltd. will finish the viewing platforms and trails along the loop as well as install wooden fencing around the ponds and conclude the planting, she said.
More than 100,000 plants (60 different species) are going into the soil, Truong said.
When complete, Blakeburn will change from a decommissioned waste settling pond site — closed off to the public for more than 40 years — to an ecologically restored oasis and educational area for nature lovers, the city says.
• More details about the project can be found at portcoquitlam.ca/blakeburn or emailing Lee-Anne Truong, PoCo’s manager of capital projects, at [email protected].
