Works Report 1930

ANNUAL REPORT OF CITY SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE YEAR 1930. –

            I beg to submit herewith the report of the Works Department for the year 1930.

Water

            Three hundred and thirty-three service orders were attended to, nine new connections installed, 49 service connections lowered to prevent freezing, 42 fire hydrants repaired, five new fire hydrants installed to replace defective ones, damaged beyond repair, four new 6-inch valves installed on distribution mains, four new valves installed on hydrant branches, 399 thaws made on private services by electricity, 38 fire hydrants thawed by steam, 11 plugged services cleared, 230 feet of 2-inch main lowered in Slaterville area, 565 ft. of 2-inch main replaced by 4-inch steel main and lowered, in Slaterville area, two gate valves repaired, two new meters purchased and installed to replace defective ones, two meters repaired and replaced in service.

            Supply conditions at the reservoir have been fair, the only actual shortage occurring between January 29^th and February 4^th, when the reserve in the reservoir dropped to one quarter of normal capacity – shutting off the Slaterville section during this period, and discontinuing of thawing of frozen services enabled the reserve to regain safe levels.

            Very considerable damage was again incurred in the Slaterville area by the freezing of 2-inch G.I. pipes installed in the old wooden mains at shallow depths.

            Considerable improvement has been made in this area by lowering the 2” main from Spencer’s corner to Guthrie’s, and by replacing the 2” main from Hamilton’s Bakery for a distance of 565 feet northwesterly – both these sections, together with 22 service lines were lowered to a minimum depth of 8’6” and 3 inches depth of slow freezing material used in the back filling.  Twelve of the property owners concerned lowered their pipes on their own property coincident with the city’s work.

            The total cost of these improvements, amounting to $3,200.00, may appear heavy, but I believe will be more than saved in future years by reductions in maintenance expense, and I would recommend that the extension of these improvements through the rest of the area be continued from year to year until the whole system is frost proof.

            Twenty-seven service connections within the city limits were lowered to prevent freezing, and I would strongly recommend an appropriation each year for this work until all shallow services are made frost proof.

            Four new 6” valves were installed on the Edwards Street distribution main between Durick Avenue and Van Horne Street, making a decided improvement in that section.  Three 8” valves are required on the 8” distribution main on Edwards Streeet at Norbury, Garden and Burwell avenues, to improve the service in this area, and I would recommend that these be purchased and installed during 1931.

            Four valves were installed on hydrant branches and I would recommend that ten more 4” and 6” valves be purchased during 1931 and installed on additional hydrant branches.

            All fire hydrants in the city were thoroughly gone over during the year, 42 of them being repaired (chiefly renewals of valves and drip rubbers), and five have been discarded as being beyond economical repair and replaced by new hydrants.

            Generally the hydrants are now in better condition than for some years back, but as all new hydrants on hand have been installed, I would recommend the purchase of two new ones in 1931 to be held for emergencies.

            Work on the Gold Creek section of the improvements authorized under By-Law 472 was commenced in April by the purchase of a pipe machine and erection of same at the Arena rink for the making of the concrete pipe required for the job.  The making, hauling and installing of the pipe was carried out continuously through the summer, the work being completed at the beginning of November.  Water was turned in for testing in September, and shut off again whilst minor repairs to joints and strengthening of the siphon at the old flume were carried out.  Water was again turned in on October 20^th and has been running continuously since.

            The pipe line extends from the Gold Creek dam to a point two miles south of the bridge on the Gold Creek road, over St. Joseph’s Creek, and consists of  16”, 14” and 12” concrete pipe with four feet of earth cover, and is functioning very satisfactorily.  It has been impossible to get exact measurements of the flow owing to seepage under the government weir below the outlet, but it is estimated that the discharge into St. Joseph’s Creek from Gold Creek is approximately three million gallons per day.

            20” concrete pipe has been manufactured and delivered to the reservoir ready for next year’s portion of the work on the dam and intakes.

            Considerable equipment, consisting of pipe-making plant, tractor and double drum hoist drag line and revolving scrapers, and two trucks were purchased for this work, and proved invaluable.  The surplus overflow at the city reservoir has remained constant at approximately four million gallons per day since the turning in of the Gold Creek water.  This available supply, coupled with a reserve of approximately 21 million gallons, which will be the capacity of the reservoir after completion of the new dam in 1931, will assure an ample constant supply to the city for all purposes for a good many years to come.

Sewers

            Two serious blockages of the sewer system occurred during the year – the first, on the North Baker lane, being caused by large accumulations of bottle caps and other refuse that should not in any circumstances be allowed to enter sanitary sewers.  The other blockage was caused by freezing and collapsing of the section of sewer on Van Horne street between Louis Street and East Dewar lane.  This section has been relaid 12 feet from the east property line, and improvements made in the grade.  Extension of 6” lateral sewers were made on East Fenwick lane for 90 feet, and on East Armstrong lane for 110 feet to serve new houses being constructed.

            Considerable improvement was carried out at the Disposal Works:-

            The secondary sand filters, which it has been found impossible to operate satisfactorily, were cut out and a pipe connection made from the primary filters to the flume.  The wooden flume was raised, repaired and strengthened, and lined with heavy galvanized iron with soldered joints to prevent leakage – the earth ditch was cleared out and all effluent carried to the broad irrigation area to a system of earth filter beds constructed by the tractor.  These improvements cannot be classed as permanent, but will probably serve to prevent pollution of St. Joseph’s Creek and obviate the heavy expense of redesigning and reconstruction of the disposal works for some years to come.  Some additional work in strengthening the earth walls of the filter beds will be required during 1931.

            15 additional connections were made to city sewers during the year.

Streets and Sidewalks – L.I.

            Local improvements carried out during the year consisted of 13 sidewalk projects, and the laying of 24 feet concrete pavement on Norbury Avenue, Louis to Edwards Street, and on Louis Street, Norbury to Armstrong Avenue.

            The total length of new concrete walks constructed amounted to 1.8 miles, the width varying from 4 to 8 feet, and comprising, with curbs, the equivalent of 58,607 square feet of sidewalks and 3174 sq. yards of concrete paving.  Unit costs (including all grading of boulevards or parking strips, retaining walls, financing charges and incidentals) average: sidewalks 32.9c per sq. foot; pavements $3.015 per sq. yard.

            Cement concrete sidewalks were constructed on the following streets:- Dennis street, north side, Norbury to E. Norbury lane; Hanson to E. Hanson lane.  Kain Street, south side – Norbury to E. Norbury lane, and Hanson to E. Hanson lane.  Kain Street, north side – Armstrong to Hanson, and Durick to E. Durick lane.  Edwards street, south side – Armstrong to Hanson.  Edwards street, north side, Burwell to E. Burwell lane, and Fenwick to Norbury.  Louis Street, south side – Burwell to E. Burwell lane.  Louis street, north side – Burwell to E. Burwell lane, Garden to E. Garden lane, and Fenwick to Garden.  Baker Street, S. & E. side – Garden to E. garden lane.  Burwell Ave., east side – Baker to Edwards.  Garden Ave., east side – Baker to Louis.  Fenwick Ave., east side – Baker to Louis.  Fenwick Ave., west side – Louis to Edwards.  Norbury Ave., east side –Louis to Edwards, and Kains to Dennis.  Armstrong Ave., west side – Edwards to Kains.  Hanson Ave., east side – Edwards to Dennis.  Durick Ave., east side – Edwards to Kains.  Watt Ave., west side – Van Horne to Kains.

Drainage

            Smith Creek sewer was excavated to sub-grade from Baker to Louis on Garden, and Garden to Fenwick on Louis street.  30” pipe has been manufactured and installed from Garden to Fenwick.  Cross drains to storm sewer were installed on Edwards near E. Hanson lane at Norbury-Edwards intersection, and on Norbury opposite Hanson Garage, with gratings and covers at openings, and across Kains and French at the intersection of these two streets.

Street Maintenance, General

            Maintenance on streets has been confined chiefly to trimming and shaping with the power grader, and general repairs, and the filling and gravelling of sections of lanes in bad shape.  Louis street, Edwards street, and the west half of Kains and Watt avenues, from Van Horne to Kains, were scarified, and the crushed rock macadam, re-set and rolled during the summer.  Lumsden from Louis for 300 feet east, was graveled and rolled.  One application of calcium chloride for dust laying was applied to Lumsden, Louis to Edwards and Van Horne, Baker street to C.P.R. tracks, with fair success.  The general application of this material to all gravel and rocked streets in the city would be excessive.  Two applications would be required during the summer; the cost of each application would be approximately $2,500.00.  I would recommend that two or three blocks of residential gravel streets be treated with emulsified asphalt and screened gravel, and costs and service checked, with a view to further work on these lines.

General

            Considerable improvements have been carried out in the Baker Park – roadways to the tourist camp and Baker House were re-located and constructed.  St. Joseph’s Creek was diverted for a distance of 350 feet, and a swimming pool 125’ x 250’ constructed in the old creek bed, and adjacent ground, at the expense of the Cranbrook Gyro Club.  This pool was operated from May to September, and proved extremely popular with both residents and tourists.

            Tourist camp grounds were graded and re-seeded, and ten new cabins erected amongst the trees at the east side.  The old office building was converted into two additional cabins later in the season.  These twelve cabins proved inadequate for the business offering during July and August, and I would recommend the construction of a number of additional cabins.

            Demolition of the old Fire Hall was carried out early in the year, the salvaged material being used for construction of cabins and swimming pool lockers.  The open sides of the tourist camp kitchen were fitted with swinging sectional doors, making a noticeable improvement, both for appearance and comfort; existing buildings in the camp were painted.

            Usual maintenance works of the Children’s Playground and Cemetery were carried out.  A new 4” steel main with triple outlet valves was laid from Norbury avenue into the playground for use in extending the sprinkler system at a later date.  Overhaul and painting of playground equipment and pruning and trimming of trees was done by the Cranbrook Rotary Club at their expense.  Six seats were donated by the Knights of Pythias lodge, and installed in the playground by the city forces.

            New landing field at the airport was marked out, new cones being constructed; some work of clearing and grading of the new area was done and 12’x14’ work shed erected.  The standard cones used to date have not proved satisfactory, and I would recommend the installation of galvanized iron marking cones next year.

            Cleaning up of lanes, etc., by the contractors was carried out satisfactorily, and the lanes and nuisance ground left in good shape at the end of the season.

            Unemployment relief work, with the assistance of the Dominion and Provincial governments, was carried out between October 28^th and Christmas, the work consisting of back-filling Gold Creek diversion pipe-line; constructing a section of Smith Creek storm sewer; lowering of mains and services in Slaterville, and extensions and renewals of lateral sanitary sewers on Van Horne street, east Armstrong lane and east Fenwick lane.

            One hundred and fifty-four men were given employment for a total of 1336 man-days during this period.

            I would strongly recommend that provision be made in the 1931 estimates for construction of an equipment shed for storing of city trucks and equipment, and to provide accommodation for City Electrician’s and Waterworks’ shops.  The present accommodation is totally inadequate, and expensive machinery has of necessity to be let out throughout the winter.

            Sixty-two building permits were issued during the year, the estimated value being $50,930.00.

            All of which is respectfully submitted.