WQLS Open House on March 8th

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

An Open House dealing with the West Quesnel Land Stability 2012 Work Plan has been scheduled for Thursday March 8 in the gymnasium at Voyageur Elementary School. The session will begin at 6 p.m., with City staff and engineering contractors on hand to speak with residents in a one-on-one setting. This will be followed by a formal presentation at 7 p.m., which will outline the work that is scheduled to take place this year.

"City Council pledged to keep our residents, property owners and business community informed regarding the West Quesnel Land Stability Program. This Open House is another avenue that allows us to reach out and let people know about the progress we're making," said Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom. "I encourage people to attend the Open House, speak one-on-one with our engineers and learn more about the 2012 Work Plan."

As part of an ongoing public information campaign, the City recently sent two newsletters to all residents and businesses within the City boundaries, as well as out-of-town property owners. The first, sent in early January detailed plans for the upcoming year, and provided a brief look at the progress to date and some next steps. The second newsletter, sent in mid-February, publicized the Open House while also answering some frequently asked questions.

The full-scale dewatering program is designed to help reduce land movement in the West Quesnel Land Stability study area. Work is already underway on the $4.7 million project that will see the installation of 14 pumping wells, nine horizontal drain sites consisting of more than 70 drains, and storm water system improvements for West Quesnel and area residents.

Information about the West Quesnel Land Stability Program is found at www.quesnel.ca/WQLS.html More than $3.1 million was provided by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia, through the Building Canada Fund-Communities Component program, part of Canada's Economic Action Plan for this project. The City of Quesnel also contributed more than $1.5 million to pay for the full-scale dewatering program. In addition to the federal and provincial contributions, the City of Quesnel has invested more than $2.1 million on the West Quesnel Land Stability Program since 2000.