Bowen Park – Trailway & Utility Upgrades

February 2022 – We are complete!

Thank you again for your patience. The project is now complete with a few remaining pieces to finish up this spring. The new upsized trunk sewer will allow Nanaimo to continue to grow while we safely and effectively convey our wastewater, while greatly improving active transportation, accessibility, and safety. We hope you enjoy the new trailway!

 

September & October 2021

It’s been a long one…. but the bank stabilization and new sewer pipe are now completed. Restoration of the area affected by construction has been completed where locations have allowed. Looking forward to see how the green wall looks in the spring once the native grass and shrub mix has germinated! We have planted 172 trees (Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Big Leaf Maple) as part of the restoration works.

Approximately 200m of the 1km long trailway has been paved (through the disc golf course) with the remainder to be completed by early December. Once the trailway has been paved it will be opened back up to the public. 

July & August 2021

The bank stabilization of the sewer and trailway through the steep section of the park is almost completed and is ready for installation of the new pipe. The face of the retaining wall will be seeded so that it takes on a natural appearance and becomes a “green” feature. Finishing this major component is a significant milestone and we are approaching 60% of the sewer installed. The new sewer is expected to be completed by the end of September and connected in early October.

Installation of the trailway lighting has started and will be completed by October so that new multi-use trail can be paved and line painted. Landscape restoration and tree plantings in the completed sections is also underway.

June 2021 – On Schedule

Work has been proceeding as planned and we appreciate all the patience from various user groups in the park, including disc golfers, swim club members and many others! Approximately one third of the new sewer pipe has been installed and crews are working on a very large 1000m² Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall. We have also identified additional areas where invasive plant species will be removed and started restoration plans for the affected areas.

In September the trunk sewer installation will resume allowing the trailway lighting and paving to follow. Heads up to the disc golfers that there will be some course closures for holes 1, 2, and 18 for a six week period in the fall. 

May 2021 - The Project is Underway!

After over a year of planning and design, the Bowen Park Trailway and Utility Upgrade project will be starting in May. Fencing will be installed around the work area (shown below in red) with signage clearly indicating safe and alternate routes for pedestrians and cyclists. The upper parking lot at Bowen Centre will be used for material storage and equipment by the contractor; the lower parking lot will be available. During the project, the entrance to Bowen Centre (opposite Howard Avenue) will be one way entry only, with all vehicles exiting Wall Street. Please follow the posted signage to keep the area safe while we complete this challenging project.

We are pleased that the disc golf course will remain open for the summer; however, it will need to be closed for a period of 6 weeks in the fall to install trailway lighting and replace the existing asphalt path. Please check back to this webpage for updates and photos as the work progresses through the summer.

March 2021 - Update On Our Barred Owl Friends

With the help of one of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable residents the nesting location of this pair has been located and reviewed by our project biologists. Their preferred tree cavity is a healthy 35m away from our construction zone and will be monitored prior to and during construction.

The timing of construction is expected to coincide with their departure from the area in early summer as they continue the life in lower parts of Bowen Park. Alternate cavities in dead wildlife trees will be artificially created in January during the environmental work to provide alternate nesting locations away from the construction zone.

Project Description

As part of the City’s commitment to asset management, sustainable growth, and active transportation improvements, the Bowen Park Trailway and Utility Upgrades include both a sewer utility and multi-use path (MUP) that have reached the end of their service life and need to be replaced. Strategic planning through the 5-year Capital Plan identifies these projects and where possible combines those of similar scope and proximity to achieve economy of scale and a comprehensive product.

The Millstone Trunk Sanitary Sewer (Millstone Trunk) is a large gravity sewer that stretches over 12 km from Brannen Lake to Nanaimo Harbour at Pearson Bridge and services approximately 40% of the City. The pipe needs to be upsized due to existing capacity shortfalls and to service future growth. The section through Bowen Park is 925m in length and will be upsized from 600mm to 900mm diameter to provide future capacity. 

The existing MUP along the south slope of Bowen Park is over top of the Millstone Trunk for most of its length and is beginning to deteriorate in places. As the trail will be impacted by the sewer work, the opportunity to improve and optimize this asset is being undertaken by:

• Widening the path from 3.0m to 4.0m
• Installing lighting to improve safety and increase utilization
• Reduce excessive grades to ensure accessibility and mobility for all ages and abilities
• Formalizing connections to other pedestrian and cycling facilities 

For more information, see the tabs below. The project is currently scheduled to be completed between May to September 2021.

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