The Town of Slave Lake is pressing forward with its summer infrastructure projects, combining major facility upgrades with its annual road maintenance and dust control programs. During the July 14 committee meeting, administration provided a comprehensive look at the town’s capital projects and street sweeping efforts.

Every year, the town spends approximately $94,000 to manage dust on roughly 17 kilometres of local gravel roads, excluding alleyways.The program relies on calcium chloride, a dust suppressant that is sprayed directly onto the gravel. During the meeting, administration explained that the calcium retains moisture to weigh down dust particles and acts as a road stabilizer by binding small aggregate materials together. This process seals the road surface to minimize water penetration when it rains.

Street sweeping, another essential form of dust control, cleans up winter sand and prevents debris from accumulating in the municipal storm system. However, frequent rain this season has complicated residential sweeping. “So, the rain is not our friend when it comes to sweeping,” Director of Operations Calvin Couturier said. Heavy traffic brings mud onto roads like Caribou Trail, forcing crews to sweep the same areas multiple times.

Alongside road maintenance, several major capital projects are mobilizing across town. Chief Administrative Officer Alex Pavcek provided a project update, noting that the watermain replacement on 11th Avenue Southeast has officially started, with notification letters sent to affected properties. Meanwhile, surveys for the Main Street and 6th Avenue Northwest intersection upgrades have been completed, and the design layout is entering its final stages.

Drivers can also expect relief from potholes as the town’s mill and overlay program gets underway. Contractors are preparing to mobilize for grinding and filling, specifically targeting rough sections on Main Street near the RBC and the Legion.

Significant facility improvements are also moving forward. The town has awarded the contract for the Multi-Rec Centre boiler replacement and ordered the necessary equipment. Additionally, a request for proposals has gone out for HVAC and washroom upgrades in the facility’s multi-purpose room.

Armaan Khanna

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter