The installation of nine bollards along First Avenue intended to protected pedestrians and storefronts will take place following the Festival of Lights kick off later this month.
The Town of Ladysmith updated the public earlier this week that the bollards arrived in the summer but placing them in the ground was put off at the request of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie production crew.
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The first phase bollards will be installed at the foot of parking spots on the high side of First Avenue between the CIBC and The Worldly Gourmet Kitchen Store.
Downtown patrons will have noticed that holes were dug a few weeks ago but wet weather and “challenging underground utility lines” have delayed progress. All the holes have now been filled in and paved over.
Now with Light Up scheduled only three weeks from now on Nov. 29 town staff agree that it was best to wait until early December.
“The Town has decided to temporarily fill and cap the holes that were dug for bollards, out of concern for pedestrian safety during the annual Light Up festivities,” the town posted on its website.
Each bollard is expected to cost $3,000 and measure just over 25 inches high with a ductile iron cover over top of a concrete filled schedule 40 steel pipe.
Look for them to be in the ground early in December in the weather cooperates.
Council passed a staff recommendation in May that an additional $30,000 be budgeted annually until 160 bollards are installed at all the angled parking stalls on First Avenue.