A major crack in an asphalt pathway along the western edge of the storm water reservoir in Crystal Springs Park in Warman will be getting a short-term fix this spring.
A permanent, and far more expensive, repair, is slated to be done three years down the road.
Warman City Council voted at a meeting on Monday, April 26 to allocate $1,500 for a temporary repair to the walkway. The repair is expected to take three days and involves removing the asphalt on the affected stretch of pathway and replacing it with a layer of crusher dust.
Warman’s long-term capital budget has $200,000 earmarked for permanent repairs to the facility in 2024.
In a report to the April 26 city council meeting, Warman Recreation and Community Services Director Paul McGonigal said the extensive crack in the asphalt pathway is due to an unstable retaining wall.
It’s a recurring problem that happens every year, but this spring it’s much worse than ever.
“The walking path along the retention wall has seen a more significant drop in elevation than other years,” said McGonigal. “In some areas there is an eight-inch change in elevation.”
The slumping of the bank has led to large gaps in the asphalt pavement. The concern is the uneven surface could lead to accidents or injury, and McGonigal recommended a temporary repair be done as soon as possible.
He said using crusher dust will keep the pathway safe and allow it to remain open until a permanent repair can be made.
In response to a question from Warman City Councillor Tracy Johnson about the underlying cause of the problem, McGonigal said it dates back to the original installation of the retaining wall on the edge of the pond by the developer about 20 years ago.
“The retaining wall was built without a sufficiently-strong ‘deadman’ anchor system to stabilize the wall from leaning or moving outward,” said McGonigal. “So as a result, water can get in behind and undermine the wall, pushing it outward.
“As it’s pushed out, the bank slumps and you get the gap in elevation levels.”
Unless the problem is addressed, it will continue to get worse, he added.
McGonigal said in 2024, the plan is to completely tear apart the existing wall and rebuild it properly. Once that is completed, the pathway will once again be able to support an asphalt surface.
In the meantime, the crusher dust will be used on the affected portion of the pathway. McGonigial said crusher dust packs hard and holds up well even in wet conditions.
Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk said the “temporary band-aid solution isn’t ideal, but it should carry us through” until a permanent repair to the retaining wall can be done.