It’s been a busy construction season around Moose Jaw as many motorists can attest with a number of detours on local roadways. 

Many of these road closures are due to the city’s water main replacement project. Just over three kilometres of failing water main pipes are slated to be replaced this year at a cost of $5.8 million. 

There are five locations this year that will see water main pipes replaced: 

  • Elsom Street from Main Street North to Second Avenue Southeast 
  • Caribou Street West from Fourth Avenue Northwest to 10th Avenue Northwest 
  • Seventh Avenue Northwest from Caribou Street West to Saskatchewan Street West 
  • Carleton Street from Ninth Avenue Northwest to 10th Avenue Northwest. 
  • Fairford Street East from Third Avenue Northeast to Fifth Avenue Northeast (performed by a separate contractor under the servicing contract for the Agri-Food Industrial Park)

The city’s water main replacement program is a 20-year, $117 million, project that started in 2015. 

But there is plenty happening away from the roadways when it comes to city infrastructure. Mayor Fraser Tolmie said one of the more important projects is the replacement of the High Service Pumphouse. 

“You can see just as you're driving down Main Street the new pumphouse that's being built. That's important and critical to our water infrastructure within the community and then we do have some water lines that are going into the industrial park,” Tolmie said. 

The High Service Pumphouse project was expected to cost $12.17 million in January of 2020. However, the department of engineering services said in August of 2020 that the cost has gone up about 2.3 per cent due to rising costs for materials and labour. 

The city received about $4 million from the provincial Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP), but city council voted in August of 2020 to borrow $10 million for the project.  

Tolmie said there are also a number of large infrastructure projects coming up on the horizon for the city. 

“Some of the things that we're going to be looking at in the future and that is in play right now, are ones that might not be visible, and that's getting some solar projects going so that we can reduce operational costs,” Tolmie said. 

In May, it was announced that the city would be receiving over $760,000 in federal and provincial funding to fit 1,000 solar power panels to each rooftop for the Yara Centre, Kinsmen Sportsplex, City Hall, the public works and transportation building, and Mosaic Place.