Residents of Calgary's Bowness neighbourhood are expressing renewed frustration with the City of Calgary's communication efforts, more than a year after officials apologized for similar shortcomings. The issue stems from repairs to the Bearspaw South feeder main, which ruptured in early January 2024 for the fourth time in two years.
Residents Feel Left in the Dark
People living on 33rd Avenue N.W., directly adjacent to the ruptured pipeline, report they were kept uninformed about repair activities during the critical first weeks. Despite the city's past apology for a lack of prompt and personalized updates, residents say history repeated itself.
While supportive of the necessary repairs, homeowners describe feeling unprepared when city crews suddenly arrived in their community. Workers spray-painted roads and, on occasion, entered private front yards without providing prior notice to residents. This lack of communication, they argue, not only causes inconvenience but also creates security concerns, potentially leaving them vulnerable to individuals who might exploit the situation.
Calls for Transparency and Simple Notice
Melba Seto, a community resident, highlighted the simple solutions that could ease tensions. "Even just having a heads-up, like, 'Hey, we need to be accessing the valve right in front of your house' — even if they just put a note saying, can you make sure you don't park here?" Seto told Postmedia. "It's just one of those things where transparency is important."
The city stated it has employed multiple methods to inform the public, including regular media updates, social media posts, roadside signs, messages on buses and transit platforms, and pop-up information sessions. Officials also said they have knocked on doors in affected areas and, as of Friday, January 17, 2024, sent a letter to residents on 33rd Avenue. This letter notified them that crews would install cables and probes to image underground conditions without excavation.
Pipe Stabilized, But Future Work and Restrictions Loom
On Friday, the city lifted all outdoor water restrictions after successfully activating a third and final pump for the feeder main. Michael Thompson, General Manager of Infrastructure Services, announced, "As of right now, the pipe appears stable. The final pump was activated Friday morning, and we can now rely on water flowing from the Bearspaw plant to support the community."
However, Thompson offered no guarantees, acknowledging the main could rupture again before scheduled reinforcement work. "If the pipe fails before then, we'll move quickly and complete some of the reinforcement repairs at the same time as we repair the break," he said. The critical water line is slated for shutdowns later in the spring and fall for preventive maintenance and to reinforce segments deemed at risk, which will require temporary water restrictions once more.
The situation underscores an ongoing challenge for municipal authorities: balancing urgent infrastructure repairs with consistent, clear, and proactive communication with the citizens most directly impacted.
