Paul Bickford/NNSL photo
Geotechnical testing by the Town of Hay River in the wooded area targeted for the Fraser Place land development has been delayed by the Covid-19 crisis.
The testing had been set for late March.
"It was planned for the spring, but that was right at the time as Covid first happened," said Judy Goucher, the town's senior administrative officer, in comments to The Hub on April 30. "So we are still planning to proceed this summer."
Goucher explained there are multiple steps to the project.
"So the first is the geotechnical work. And then coming out of that, the design work," she said. "And once we have the design work together, we agreed that we would hold a public meeting because we have to go and apply to rezone that area."
The SAO said the delay in the geotechnical testing should not impact the schedule.
"It's just a matter of waiting until things have settled down more on the Covid front," she said of the testing.
Plus, the testing will require a contractor from out of town because of a change in the type of drill to be used.
"We're looking at updating a timeline for when we'll proceed with that work," Goucher said. "So there will be some work that can proceed this year, but we had already planned on getting through the testing, the public meeting, the rezoning and then move on to the earthwork. So that can happen later on in the season."
The town previously determined that it no longer required a land-use permit from the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board for the approximately three days of geotechnical work because it was using a smaller drill and relying on historical geotechnical studies.
The board had said it would require door-to-door consultations with area residents prior to accepting a permit to conduct the geotechnical testing.
The number of lots the town hopes to develop has not yet been determined.
A plan will be developed following the geotechnical testing.
An earlier land development plan called for something in the range of 20 lots.
Fraser Place would consist of part of the so-called Hay River Nature Park, a wooded area covering about a half-kilometre along the shore of the Hay River in the vicinity of the Keith Broadhead Memorial Twin Park.
Development of the area has been opposed by some residents and Healthy Habitat for Hay River, a subcommittee of Ecology North.