PUBLIC WORKS
The anatomy of a sewage spill
KAMLOOPS – On Sept. 16, 2014, the City of Kamloops spilled roughly two Olympic-sized swimming…
What’s open when during the holidays in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - If you don’t want to show up with your skates to a closed arena, make sure you know the holiday hours of various facilities in Kamloops. City Hall and public works Both City Hall and the public works buildings will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. In addition to these...
Kamloops explores options to deal with biosolids
KAMLOOPS – All sewage treatment centres produce biosolids. The question for the City of Kamloops is what to do with them. The city’s new sewage treatment centre opened March 2015 and not only does it processes its biosolids differently than before, but it also produces more. Public works director Jen Fretz says the city is...
Cost of recycling may increase as Kamloops looks to renew contract
KAMLOOPS – Emterra Environmental may be awarded the City of Kamloops’ recycling contract even after this summer’s labour dispute and a new bid almost double the cost of the previous one. A report by city staff will be coming to council tomorrow, Dec. 1, recommends Emterra get the contract. The current contract with the city...
Kamloops may see new company sorting recyclables in 2016
KAMLOOPS - Recyclables collected by the City of Kamloops, both at depots and curbside, could be sorted by a new company come the new year. “We have already gone out to (request for proposals) to renew the contract essentially. To look for processors who can do the same work starting Jan. 1,” Public Works Director...
Kamloops neighbourhoods could lose backlane garbage collection
KAMLOOPS - Garbage and recycling collection in back alleys might soon be changed in Kamloops, leaving residents with the possibility of pushing their carts to just one side of the alley, or all the way out to the street instead. Some city garbage collection routes are not only inefficient, but have become unsafe, streets and...
Water restrictions end for Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - Annual water restrictions end today, Aug. 31, but Kamloops residents are still being asked to voluntarily restrict their water use. The mandated water restrictions run from May 1 through Aug. 31 every year and while the city recently asked residents to reduce their water use, Mike Firlotte, the city’s utility services manager, says the...
Fines for Kamloops residents refusing water meters
KAMLOOPS – The city is in the last stages of fitting every home in Kamloops with a water meter and those either refusing a meter or hooked to an illegal connection will soon be charged a fine. With 20,700 meters installed since 2011, the city says there are still about 150 left to do and...
No fines for Kamloops residents who throw out recyclables
KAMLOOPS – Residents who are unable, or unwilling, to store their recyclables will not be fined by the city for tossing them in the trash. While not encouraging this, the city will not be taking measures to fine offenders. Public Works Director Jen Fretz says the city’s position continues to be for residents to store...
UPDATE: Overlanders Bridge project forces Summit ramp closure
KAMLOOPS – If summer construction hasn’t affected your commute yet, then get prepared for the next three weeks. The the south exit ramp to Summit Drive will be closed as of Monday, July 27 until approximately mid-August. This is the newest phase of construction on the bridge project, which began April 20. It was originally...
General Grants feeling the fall out from Emterra strike
KAMLOOPS – The recycling is piling up in Kamloops as the Emterra Environmental strike enters its fifth week. While people have been asked to store what they can, the balconies and garages of residents are no competition for the influx General Grants in Sahali is currently seeing. “I had 26 pallets, and they left four...
Preview of Overlanders Bridge project plans
SET FOR SPRING CONSTRUCTION KAMLOOPS - Resurfacing of the Overlanders Bridge was originally set to take place in 2014 but when it was realized the sidewalk needed work too the project was put off a year. Now the city is ready to move ahead and will be hosting an open house to share the design...
Sweeping into spring
KAMLOOPS - Even with a chance of snow still in the forecast crews are ready to move ahead to the next stage of road maintenance — street sweeping and cleaning. The City of Kamloops will be moving ahead with full around the clock cleaning starting next week, the first week of March. “It’s a few...
Clean up after snow storm costs city $400,000
KAMLOOPS - Between regular city staffing hours, overtime, hiring contractors and the cost of hauling snow about a quarter of the snow removal budget has already been spent less than two weeks into the new year. Public Works Director Jen Fretz says the city spent $160,000 on regular staffing and another $240,000 on overtime, contractors...
Fast melt following massive snow a concern
KAMLOOPS - The next challenge the city could face following this week's snow storm is coping with rapid melting as temperatures rise. It has been more than 87 years since Kamloops has seen two-day snowfall amounts nearing the 40 centimetre mark and the storm had city crews scrambling to keep up earlier this week. The...