Businesses in Parsons Industrial Park. (Google Maps)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Flooding Concerns

Study issued to determine how to fix flooding issue in North Battleford’s Parsons Industrial Park

Sep 14, 2023 | 2:00 PM

The City of North Battleford is trying to fix the flooding issue in Parsons Industrial Park once and for all.

City Council met on Monday where they approved paying AllNorth Consulting Limited around $85,000 to conduct a study in the area to find out what exactly is needed to stop the issue.

Earlier this spring, the city hired a company to clear and regrade two drainage ditches and clear the area around two catch basins, however, flooding was still an issue in some parts of the area.

Randy Patrick, the City Manager for North Battleford, told battlefordsNOW the study is needed to ensure they’re not spending money on upgrades that’ll have to be fixed all over again.

“We just can’t go in and start doing work there because it’s pretty flat, if you’re working on a hill it may be easier, but we aren’t. The best way to do that right is to understand exactly what we’re working with,” he said.

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Flooding was relatively tame this year compared to previous years. In the past when the area received heavy rain, it would impact most, if not all, of the businesses due to the area being so flat.

Tyler Stewart, the owner of Stewarts Coating Solutions, explained some areas can see quite a bit of water.

“Some of the yards get pretty bad when it comes down, but I think everyone is more or less accustomed to that.”

He added that his property has been impacted, though he’s been able to avoid the worst of it. It has never gotten to the point where he’s had to get insurance involved to help cover any damage.

“It’s already a pretty swampy area and it does pool quite a bit., but it would have to be a pretty big downpour to get super backed up,” said Stewart.

Nonetheless, he’s happy the City is looking to permanently fix the issue.

Meanwhile, Patrick doesn’t have an exact timeline on how long the study will take.

The City is expecting to have the entire project finished in around three to four years. It’s also too early to say how much the construction will cost, though it could hover between $100,000 and $150,000 each year.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow