A note to warn — for next while, avoid Lorne
Drivers heading to Riverside Park over the next two weeks should expect slow going as the city shuts down several blocks of Lorne Street as part of its ongoing upgrades in the area.
Until July 27, Lorne Street will be closed between the Red Bridge and Second Avenue.
The city will also shut down Third Avenue between Lorne and Lansdowne streets, while closures on Second Avenue will remain in place.
Local and business access, as well as access to Interior Savings Centre, will be available through the construction.
The parking lots at Heritage House and east of the park’s tennis courts will be accessible via First Avenue.
About 4,000 visitors are expected to hit ISC during the construction period for the Watchtower Convention — a Jehovah’s Witnesses gathering that takes place over two weekends — which the city expects will cause further delays.
Last fall, BC Hydro and cable lines were installed under Lorne Street between First and Third avenues as part of the overall plan to beautify the area.
The project was budgeted at $725,000, with BC Hydro covering $145,000 and the city picking up the rest of the tab.
In April, city crews began ripping up Lorne Street to replace sewer and water mains and the road top itself.
A roundabout will eventually be installed at Lorne and Third, with a large cost coming from development cost charges to the tune of $800,000. The Sandman Hotel, which is being built on Lorne Street across from Riverside Park, is contributing $400,000.
In 2013, the city is planning a complete realignment of the intersection at Lorne and Lansdowne streets and First Avenue.
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