Coaldale councillors hear update on town’s infrastructure capital projects

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

Town of Coaldale council heard an update on the town’s infrastructure capital projects during the Oct. 6 Town of Coaldale regular council meeting. 

The report was presented by Dustin Yanke, director of infrastructure for the Town of Coaldale and the update was accepted by councillors as information.   

In his presentation, Yanke highlighted several projects and provided development updates including those on Civic Plaza, Land O’ Lakes Drive Pedestrian Crossing, Coaldale’s new Skatepark, Malloy Drain Phase 2B, South Coaldale Regional SWMF, Potable Water Reservoir and Pump Station, Rehoboth Pathway, Phase 2 Sanitary Trunk Main and Horsefly Regional Spillway.       

Yanke detailed the remaining work, completed work and budgets for each project, and a schedule update, if applicable. 

Some of the highlights provided for each project during Yanke’s presentation included: 

Civic Plaza – Coaldale’s “community living room.” Remaining items include sandblasting the geometric pattern onto the ice rink slab and completing minor ice plant deficiencies. The project is still projected to come in under budget. 

Land O’ Lakes Drive Pedestrian Crossing – Coaldale’s second “north to south” pedestrian connection. Pedestrian-level lighting to be completed by Fortis, which has been extensively delayed. Construction is anticipated to start in the coming weeks. This fall crews will repair minor asphalt deficiencies and Highway 3 speed zone adjustments are currently with the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors for final administrative approval.  

The approved budget was $1,450,000, with $544,600 coming from the province. The town is projected to come in at $1,215,000 ($235,000 under budget).   

Skatepark –  A community-built space for active recreation and connection and made possible by the power of partnership. Remaining items to be completed are stencilling logos, installing a chain link fence along the basketball court, and installing plaques. This project was made possible with several sponsors as well as cash and in-kind donations by local businesses and contractors.  

“On Sept. 20, we hosted the grand opening. A big success, we had upwards of 800 people in attendance, so this is exciting for the community,” said Yanke, in speaking about the new skatepark project. 

Malloy Drain Phase 2B – Increasing Coaldale’s storm water storage by 50 per cent and providing a gravity discharge for the Cottonwood Pond and South Coaldale Regional SWMF. The last item to be completed is the pump/piping upgrades from the 11th Street storm water pump station. The total approved budget was $4,846,000, with $1,238,000 provided by the federal government and $3,003,600 provided by the province. The town is projecting to come in under budget at $4,550,000. In partnership with St. Mary’s River Irrigation District (SMRID) and Lethbridge County, the town’s final share is anticipated to be $103,000, of which $202,000 was originally approved for budget  

South Coaldale Regional  SWMF – In conjunction with the Malloy 2B upgrades, this facility will provide an additional 100,000 m3 of storm water storage for regional floodwater. So far, approximately 112,000 cubic metres of material has been excavated from the pond site (immediately south of Cottonwood), representing about 54 per cent of the total required volume of 195,000 cubic metres. Remaining work includes pond excavation, SMRID make-up water connection, installation of aquatic plantings, and final landscaping. The province is covering up to 70 per cent of the project costs, while the town, SMRID, and Lethbridge County are each contributing equal shares toward the remaining balance. With a current projected total cost of $3,600,000, each party’s contribution is estimated at $406,000.   

Potable Water Reservoir and Pump Station – Potable water storage and pumping capacity to service Coaldale’s 25-year growth horizon. The structure and most of the process piping have been completed. In the coming weeks, crews will tie in the piping to the town’s distribution network along 18 Ave. The sanitary trunk main installation along 18 Ave. is finished and the road has been reopened to traffic. For now, the town plans to install a speed display sign in place of the speed bump. This sign will collect speed data and can be relocated to other sites across town. A further review of 18 Ave. traffic calming will be conducted to determine a suitable long-term strategy. Currently, the town is targeting commissioning of the new reservoir and pump station in December with completion early in the new year. The approved budget is $13,038,000 with $5,062,158 of grant funding from the province. 

“We made a lot of good progress in the past (few) months. Most of the structure and process piping have been completed,” said Yanke, noting the following week they would be tying in the piping from the pump station into the town’s distribution system. “So it’s a big coordination across departments to make sure that goes flawlessly. A lot of planning has gone into that so far.”    

Rehoboth Pathway – Improving active modes connectivity in north Coaldale. The pathway is substantially complete, with all asphalt installed on Sept. 19. The remaining items to be completed are post and chain fencing, parking blocks, and concrete works (cemetery entrances and the connection to the Gem Museum parking lot). The approved budget for the project is $250,000, and the final cost is projected to come in at $235,000.     

“A couple remaining items include post and chain fencing, parking blocks, concrete works – specifically the concrete walkway from the Gem of the West Museum parking lot to the cemetery entrance,” said Yanke. “That was one item that we felt would be beneficial to improve options for parking, particularly in poor weather…this concrete walkway will provide another option for those accessing the cemetery to park and be in an area that’s not muddy,” he added.      

Phase 2 Sanitary Trunk Main – The final section of sanitary upgrades to service growth west of 30 Street. Augering across Highway 845 is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, with full completion of the Highway 845 alignment anticipated this fall. Design work for the 16th Ave. alignment is ramping up, with a targeted tender date of Feb. 2026 and construction planned for the summer of 2026. As part of the design process, the town is currently reviewing potential traffic calming opportunities along 16 Ave. The projected cost for the Highway 845 alignment in 2025 is $1,250,000, with $3,850,000 remaining in the budget for the 16 Ave. alignment planned for 2026.  

Horsefly Regional Spillway – Reducing flood risk through strategic regional collaboration. Phases 1 and 3 have been completed to date. Phase 2a—covering the section from the CPKC bridge to Taber Lake was recently submitted for tender and closed on Oct. 9. Following the completion of Phase 2a, additional funding will be required to complete the final segment from the CPKC bridge to Horsefly Lake. Once tender results for Phase 2a are received, remaining funding needs can be identified. Total projected project costs are estimated at $61,000,000, with a current funding shortfall of approximately $5 million. The town’s committed contribution is $661,533.