Preliminary work for an eventual SkyTrain station began last week in Coquitlam as crews moved diggers and machinery on to the parking lot of the Evergreen Cultural Centre to conduct subsurface studies.
Jon Buckle, the acting executive director of the Evergreen Line project, said one of the companies vying for the construction contract for the rapid transit project is doing the work.
They hope to gain a better understanding of what is under ground, information that can help with the final station design that will be part of the contractor's bid package.
"It is standard subsurface investigation that most big projects will do before they get into the final design stage," said Jon Buckle, the acting executive director of the Evergreen Line project. "You want to make sure the foundations are built with consideration of what is under the ground."
The province has narrowed down the list of companies to three and Buckle said the final contract, which will include design, build and financing, is expected to be announced in the middle of the summer.
The work at the Evergreen Cultural Centre is not the only construction in the Tri-Cities related to SkyTrain.
An electrical upgrade is taking place in Port Moody along Douglas Street, Spring Street, Electronic Avenue and parts of St. Johns Street.
The new power supply, according to Stacey McGaghey-Jones, the public affairs officer with the Ministry of Transportation, will be used by the tunnel boring machine during construction. It will later power the Evergreen Line system when the SkyTrain begins service in the summer of 2016.
Coquitlam is also dealing with several power supply upgrades along Como Lake Avenue.
Next month more work will begin along the Coquitlam/Burnaby border, when the widening of North Road begins. The thorough fare will be widened on the west side to prepare for construction of the Evergreen Line guideway up the centre of the road.
Underground utility work will also take place, as Fortis Gas lines and B.C. Hydro power supplies are relocated and upgraded.
Road closures for the initial work are not expected, however construction could cause some minor traffic delays.
For more information about the Evergreen Line project go to www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca.
