Construction nightmare

Photo: Darren Handschuh

Nerves are frayed and tempers are flaring at a construction site in downtown Vernon.

Residents at Willow Manor are at their wits end as large trucks rumble down 35th Street throughout the night as they dump dirt in a vacant lot several blocks from the actual construction site.

To get to the empty lot, the dumptrucks must drive down a lane mere meters from the apartment building.

Tim Smith is the co-manager of the apartment that houses mainly seniors and he said people are fed up with the noise.

Smith said on Wednesday night, someone threw a small propane bottle at one of the passing trucks. Police were called, but it is not known if any charges have been recommended.

“None of us can sleep. There are trucks coming and going all night,” said Smith of the 42 tenants in the building at 2800-35th St. “They are bringing stuff in and they are carting stuff out.

“We can't even open our windows because of all the dust and we can't sleep because of all the crashing and banging.”

Smith is afraid things may turn violent if something is not done.

“We were never notified this was going to take place,” said Smith. “This is a residential area. They can't ruin people's lives over it. The building is full of dust, no one can sleep.”

The project has a private contractor replacing the storm weather drainage pipes along Highway 97 near the intersection of 25th Avenue.

The work is not expected to be complete until July.

Mark Dowhaniuk, City of Vernon infrastructure engineer, said he has heard of some complaints, but said the Ministry of Transportation dictated the work be done at night to keep traffic disruption to a minimum.

Smith said the main problem is the heavy equipment dumping dirt in the empty lot near the apartment complex throughout the night.

When asked if it legal for the company to dump the dirt in the middle of the residential area, Dowhaniuk said the contractor must abide by city bylaws.

However, Dowhaniuk said the contractor has to fill out certain paperwork to dump at the lot and he admits they have not done so yet.

Dowhaniuk said the city and the bylaw department are going to be looking in to the matter.

Anyone with complaints about the project are urged to contact the city engineering department by calling the city at 250-545-1361.