50 Avenue Redevelopment Phase 3
The 50 Avenue Redevelopment Project upgrades 50 Avenue from Lakeshore Drive to 50 Street. Upgrades include new underground infrastructure, sidewalks, and landscaping. The project has four phases, from 2019 - 2024. The final phase 4 begins in 2024. All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open.
Why?
It is cheaper to replace aging underground infrastructure before it fails. Some water and sewer mains are over forty years old
To save money by upgrading landscaping and sidewalks at the same time
To make it safer for pedestrians and drivers with traffic calming design
To helps tourism and business by giving a facelift to this important downtown corridor
Reducing construction impacts
We are taking a strategic and staged approach by only closing one section at a time
We are completing phase 3 in sections to reduce impact to the downtown core, residents, and businesses
View the traffic interruption and detour plan
Why is the 50 Avenue area important?
As population increases, new underground infrastructure is needed to meet demand
It is one of the main entrances into our Town
50 Avenue is one of the most historic, and widely used roads in Sylvan Lake for residents and visitors
This project helps to fulfill goals outlined in the Town's REIMAGINE SYLVAN, Sustainable Waterfront Area Redevelopment Plan (SWARP)
Roadway Modernization and Traffic Calming Design
The new 50 Avenue design is built to calm traffic, improving safety for both pedestrians and drivers. Here’s how:
Improving pedestrian walkability and safety with the addition of wide sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb bulb-outs. Why are bulb outs safer? They let pedestrians look past parked cars before crossing. The bulb outs place walkers more into the line vision of drivers while staying off the roadway in a protected zone
Planting trees along the length of the roadway
Keeping the speed limit at 30 Km/h on 50 Avenue (from 46 Street to 50 Street)
Adding improved street lighting
Adding more traffic control signage and line markings
Increasing visibility of signage and line markings by placing them where they are easier to see for drivers. Improved street lighting also increases visibility
Narrowing and focusing the driver's field of vision with the bulb outs and trees, causing them to slow down
Improving the intersection at 50 Avenue and 46 Street
Replacing curb and gutter and adding more catch basins to improve drainage
When
Learn about the project
- Ask questions
- Get project news
- Want to ask a question or report a concern about a specific area within the project? Drop a pin!
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November 10, 2023 Update
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What's new
- November 10: Replacing services (water/sewer) to buildings on 50 Avenue from 49 Street to 50 Street
Next Tasks
- Underway: Landscaping
- Underway: 50 Street and 50 Avenue closures: continue the water/sewer main lines upgrades. See closures below:
Estimated November 2 - 24Finished- Removed temporary above ground water lines east of 49 Street
- 50 Avenue from 46 Street to 49 Street is paved with the first layer of asphalt. We are adding the final layers of asphalt in 2024
- The library parking lot now has a gravel surface and is open
Streamlining Construction Schedules for 2024
- 50 Avenue is now open from 50 Street to 46 Street
- 50 Avenue is remaining open over the winter, until construction resumes in spring 2024
- Construction on the library parking lot is complete. The lot will remain gravel until paving in 2024. This parking lot is above much underground infrastructure (water, sewer), and completing this work in 2023 helps us to shorten construction schedules in 2024. This shortens how much construction must be done during the buy summer season
- This work includes relocating the water and sewer lines from underneath 50 Avenue, to underneath the parking lot (49 Street to 50 Street). If we need repairs in the future, 50 Avenue won't be disrupted along this important economic corridor
- Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Access to businesses during construction
All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Monarchos Centre: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Library: Access from 50 Avenue. All accesses open including the library parking lot
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street
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November 2, 2023 Update
Share November 2, 2023 Update on Facebook Share November 2, 2023 Update on Twitter Share November 2, 2023 Update on Linkedin Email November 2, 2023 Update linkProgress on the 50 Avenue and 46 Street intersection is on budget. All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open.
What's new
- The library parking lot now has a gravel surface and is open
- 50 Avenue from 46 Street to 49 Street is paved with the first layer of asphalt. We are adding the final layers of asphalt in 2024
- Began construction to replace services (water/sewer) to buildings on 50 Avenue from 49 Street to 50 Street
- Removed temporary above ground water lines east of 49 Street
Next Tasks
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November 6:
- Landscaping
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Starting November 2:
- 50 Street and 50 Avenue closures: continue the water/sewer main lines upgrades. See closures below:
Estimated November 2 - 14 
Estimated November 6 - 11Finished
- Fortis streetlight installation
- Concrete sidewalks completed
(IMAGE)
Streamlining Construction Schedules for 2024
- 50 Avenue is now open from 50 Street to 46 Street
- 50 Avenue is remaining open over the winter, until construction resumes in spring 2024
- Construction on the library parking lot is complete. The lot will remain gravel until paving in 2024. This parking lot is above much underground infrastructure (water, sewer), and completing this work in 2023 helps us to shorten construction schedules in 2024. This shortens how much construction must be done during the buy summer season
- This work includes relocating the water and sewer lines from underneath 50 Avenue, to underneath the parking lot (49 Street to 50 Street). If we need repairs in the future, 50 Avenue won't be disrupted along this important economic corridor
- Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Access to businesses during construction
All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Monarchos Centre: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Library: Access from 50 Avenue. All accesses open including the library parking lot
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street
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Is construction over because it snowed?
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Hello Lakers! We've received some questions and thought everyone would benefit from the answers.
Were there problems because of the construction delays?
- Rains held up construction for a couple of days
- The snow that fell October 23/24 created a delay. We could not pave the roadway and finish the underground work as we originally planned
It seems like winter has started, what happens with 50 Avenue now?
- Even though we’ve received some winter weather, we can still pave the road. We are paving 50 Avenue between 49 Street and 47 Street the week of October 30
- Any other work that must excavate the roadway will not be paved. For these areas, we are using asphalt millings to seal the top for the winter season. Asphalt millings are made of recycled roadway asphalt ground up to the size of small gravel. The millings still have some of the properties of the asphalt roadway: it sticks together extremely well, it seals the surface, and it won’t wash out or pothole as easily as gravel
What plans must be completed before stopping construction for the winter season, so that you can continue work in 2024?
We are stopping the 2023 construction along 50 Avenue when:
- All underground mains are installed to the west side of 50 Street
- All underground building services that are within 50 Avenue are repaired and replaced
- The roadway is paved
- Concrete needed for sidewalk access to residents and businesses are complete
- The area is made safe for the winter season by removing any tripping hazards or making property repairs before the construction season ends
- Depending on the weather and site conditions, we hope to complete this list by mid-November
More questions?
- Learn more about the next construction tasks
- We welcome everyone to post questions in the Ask & Answered section!
Stay Safe out there,
Manager of Engineering, Public Works Engineering Department
Town of Sylvan Lake -
Snow is here! October 24, 2023 Update
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Progress on the 50 Avenue and 46 Street intersection is slightly delayed due to this week's snowfall. The project is on budget. All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open.
What's new
- Snowfall this week slightly delayed construction progress
- Construction has resumed
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Starting October 30:
- Landscaping
- 50 Avenue from 49 Street to 50 Street: install underground water and wastewater lines
Next Tasks
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Work being finished October 16 - 31:
- Concrete work
- The first layer of asphalt paving (west of 46 Street)
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Work being finished October 23 - November 6:
- Underground utilities (trunk mains for water and wastewater)
- Started October 9 - 13: Fortis started streetlight installation
Detours to expect for October 24 - November 6.
Detours changes as work progresses.Streamlining Construction Schedules for 2024
- 50 Avenue is now open from 50 Street to 46 Street
- 50 Avenue is remaining open over the winter, until construction resumes in spring 2024
- Construction on the library parking lot is underway. This parking lot is above much underground infrastructure (water, sewer), and completing this work in 2023 helps us to shorten construction schedules in 2024. This shortens how much construction must be done during the buy summer season
- This work includes relocating the water and sewer lines from underneath 50 Avenue, to underneath the parking lot (49 Street to 50 Street). If we need repairs in the future, 50 Avenue won't be disrupted along this important economic corridor
- Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Access to businesses during construction
All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Monarchos Centre: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Library: The parking lot partially reopens on October 30, access from 50 Avenue
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street (Concrete sidewalk beside Party Chef was completed Monday October 16)
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October 12, 2023 Update
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Progress on the 50 Avenue and 46 Street intersection is slightly delayed due to the recent rainfalls. The project is on budget. All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open.
What's new
- Rainfall halts construction progress, so we have a slight delay
- Started October 9 - 13: Fortis started streetlight installation
Next Tasks
-
Work being finished October 16 - 20:
- Concrete work
- The first layer of asphalt paving (west of 46 Street)
- Landscaping
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Work being finished October 23 - 27:
- Underground utilities
Concrete and streetlight installations
Concrete installationsStreamlining Construction Schedules for 2024
- 50 Avenue is now open from 50 Street to 46 Street
- 50 Avenue is remaining open over the winter, until construction resumes in spring 2024
- Construction on the library parking lot is underway. This parking lot is above much underground infrastructure (water, sewer), and completing this work in 2023 helps us to shorten construction schedules in 2024. This shortens how much construction must be done during the buy summer season
- This work includes relocating the water and sewer lines from underneath 50 Avenue, to underneath the parking lot (49 Street to 50 Street). If we need repairs in the future, 50 Avenue won't be disrupted along this important economic corridor
- Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Access to businesses during construction
All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Monarchos Centre: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Library: Access from 50 Avenue. The east side of the library parking lot is closed, the west side is open
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street (Concrete sidewalk work taking place on Monday October 16 because Party Chef is regularly closed on Mondays)
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September 27, 2023 Update
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What's new
- 50 Avenue is now open from 50 Street to 46 Street
- 50 Avenue is remaining open over the winter, until construction resumes in spring 2024
50 Avenue is now open for vehicle traffic
50 Avenue and 50 Street intersection- Construction on the library parking lot is underway. This parking lot is above much underground infrastructure (water, sewer), and completing this work in 2023 helps us to shorten construction schedules in 2024. This shortens how much construction must be done during the buy summer season
- This work includes relocating the water and sewer lines from underneath 50 Avenue, to underneath the parking lot (49 Street to 50 Street). If we need repairs in the future, 50 Avenue won't be disrupted along this important economic corridor
- Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Next Tasks
Finishing replacing aging underground infrastructure, water mains, sanitary mains, storm mains, and lot services to the west of the library
Working on construction of new street lighting from 45 Street to 49 Street
Working on construction of the new concrete curbs and sidewalks
Completed Tasks: August 17 - September 25
Phase 3, Stage 3
Finishing road construction before opening 50 Avenue from 47 Street to 49 Street. This section stays gravel until we are ready for first lift of asphalt paving in October
50 Avenue from 47 Street to 49 Street is open to vehicle traffic
Trees were removed from the southeast corner of the 50 Avenue and 50 Street intersection:
Improves sight lines
Makes way for relocated water and sewer mains
Makes room for intersection safety and traffic flow improvements
Access to businesses during construction
All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Monarchos Centre: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Library: Access from 50 Avenue. The east side of the library parking lot is closed, the west side is open
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street
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September 12, 2023 update
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What's new
- We are moving some 2024 work into 2023:
- Work for underground infrastructure replacement from 49 Street to the west side of Centennial Street (50 Avenue)
- Why? Doing the work in the fall of 2023 instead of spring/summer 2024:
- Minimizes impacts on the businesses in the area
- Reduces how much work we need to do in 2024, which makes 2024 construction faster
- Gives underground work and earth time to settle over the winter of 2023 / 2024. This means that any problems from settling, like dips or cracks, can be corrected in spring 2024. This should create a smoother surface in the future
- Surface work (paving, concrete, line painting, street lights, etc.) can start earlier in 2024, which means we can finish paving in 2024 instead of 2025
- Keeps us on schedule with the new wastewater trunk main line. The new line is part of a separate project we are doing together with the Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission (SLRWWC). The new line can't go forward until the 50 Avenue work is done
Next Tasks
Finishing replacing aging underground infrastructure, water mains, sanitary mains, storm mains, and lot services to the west of the library
Finishing road construction before opening 50 Avenue from 47 Street to 49 Street. This section stays gravel until we are ready for first lift of asphalt paving in October
Working on construction of new street lighting from 45 Street to 49 Street
Completed Tasks: July 26 – August 15
Phase 3, Stage 3
50 Avenue, underground infrastructure from Monarchos Centre to the library parking lot
Road Surface Infrastructure
Concrete sidewalks up to 47 Street
Access to businesses during constructionAll downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Dairy Queen: all accesses open, please watch for construction traffic
Railway Plaza: access from both the east and west
Monarchos Centre: access from east entrance only
Library: Access from west parking lot
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street
- We are moving some 2024 work into 2023:
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August 16, 2023 update
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Progress on the 50 Avenue and 46 Street intersection is on schedule and on budget. All downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open.
Next Tasks
Finishing replacing aging underground infrastructure, water mains, sanitary mains, storm mains, and lot services to the west of Dairy Queen
Finishing road construction before opening 50 Avenue from 46 Street to 47 Street. This section stays gravel until we are ready for first lift of asphalt paving in September
Starting August 17: Close 50 Avenue from 47 Street to 49 Street. 47 Street remains open including turns east onto 50 Avenue. Check out the detour plan
Instead of closing the whole area at once, construction starts at 47 Street and works westward along 50 Avenue towards 49 Street. This is so the 50 Avenue and 49 Street intersection can remain open for as long as possible
Start construction of new street lighting from 45 Street to 49 Street
Completed Tasks: July 26 – August 15
Phase 3, Stage 3
50 Avenue, from Dairy Queen to Monarchos Centre
Road Surface Infrastructure
July 31 - August 4: First lift of asphalt paving complete at the 50 Avenue and 46 Street intersection
The intersection will remain open for the 2023 season. In 2024, the intersection will close again for a short time to place the final lift of asphalt, paint lines, and finalize the construction
50 Avenue from 46 Street to 47 Street opening soonUnderground Infrastructure
Completed replacing aging underground infrastructure, water mains, sanitary mains, storm mains, and lot services from Dairy Queen to Monarchos Centre
Utilities
Replaced all shallow utilities such as power, gas, and cable to the west of Dairy Queen
Access to businesses during constructionAll downtown businesses in the 50 Avenue Redevelopment construction area are open
Varsity Mall: access from 46 Street and 50 Avenue
Dairy Queen: access from 50 Avenue
Railway Plaza: access from both the east and west
Monarchos Centre: access from east entrance only
Library: Access from west parking lot
Party Chef: Access from 50 Avenue and 49 Street
