The City of Kenora is debating spending $185,000 to build up Coker Road to protect residents from future flooding events after Kenora’s evacuation last month, which continues for multiple roadways throughout the community.
Councillors are hosting a Special Council meeting today to discuss the new budget amendment, which would pull funding from the JM Roads Reserve Fund. If approved, work on Coker Road would take place just east of Kelly Road, and would involve raising the height of the roadway.
The city adds at its worst, flooding on Coker Road was reported with 20” of water over the road over an estimated 350 metres. The city says the grade raise would help to provide a second point of entry and exit for water into Black Sturgeon, and would be similar to work that took place on East Melick.
This section of Coker Road has remained closed while the city waits for water levels to drop, but staff note the work will bring the road back to an acceptable standard, prior to its reopening.
The City of Kenora’s report says they hope to be able to secure a contractor as soon as possible to perform the work, if it’s approved by councillors later today. The Special Council Meeting at City Hall is set for 9 a.m.
In a separate report from the City of Kenora’s Acting Director of Engineering and Infrastructure Services, Marco Vogrig, staff detailed a number of remedial projects that have taken place on roadways throughout the community.
They include filling a breach and adding a culvert on School Road before soft areas were fixed later in the month, staff raised the grade on East Melick Road to provide access in and out of the area twice, crews raised Anderson Road near Carlton Road, graded gravel roads and repaired potholes on East Melick and failed culverts were repaired on Beryl Winder Drive and Beggs Road.
Moving forward, the city says they plan to re-assess Essex Road at the Hooterville Trail and Coker Road at Kelly Road to determine if more work is needed to reopen the roads. Staff are also keeping a close eye on municipally-owned docks in the area.
Other areas of concern include 2nd West Bay Road, West Bay Road at the Keewatin Ball Fields, the Keewatin Wharf, the Dingwall Ford area of Highway 17, Golf Course Road beyond Glen Cameron Drive, Herbacz Road and the Gould Road culverts just north of Transmitter Road.
The City of Kenora’s reports comes as residents across the community are coming together to raise complaints with the city about a subpar quality of road work in the area, especially for those who own property north of the by-pass who pay some of the highest taxes in the Kenora area.
The City of Kenora is also asking residents to help report flooding or rising water levels in the area. You’re asked to send an email to service@kenora.ca to report water that is at concerning levels, or flooded roads. You may also call City Hall at 467-2000 between Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.