'The noise is so loud'

Aberdeen residents living near the site of a multi-use path project say the City of Kamloops left them largely in the dark about the extent of work being done near their homes — including the levelling of a berm serving as a sound barrier between houses and Highway 5A.

The city has since responded by committing to restore part of the berm’s original height, but neighbours told Castanet Kamloops concerns linger over the way the project rolled out, and the extent of impacts to a beloved neighbourhood green space.

“The fact that they went and did all these things without even talking to the neighbourhood blows me away,” said Sifton Lane resident Tyler Butzke.

“The designers, engineers, the surveyors — this stuff's been going on for months, like it didn't happen in a week.”

In early September, a contract company broke ground on a sanitary main installation project for the City of Kamloops. The project, taking place between Summit Drive and Aberdeen Drive, also involves the construction of a multi-use pathway along Highway 5A.

Residents received a letter in March 2023 about the planned sewer upgrades. About a week before construction started, some received another letter mentioning the installation of a multi-use path, but neighbours said there wasn't much detail given about location or design.

“They came around, dropped off a piece of paper which had a diagram that was less than useful. You couldn't tell what it was,” Bill Demuth, a 30-year Sifton Lane resident, told Castanet Kamloops.

'The noise is so loud'

Residents were then alarmed to see crews move into a treed green space and start carving down the berm which served to block road noise from homes.

Demuth said he was “totally confused” to see this work begin.

“They chopped over six feet of the berm down — and that berm was to stop the highway noise. Now we can't keep windows open,” Demuth said.

“You got the trucks pulling up the hill, you got jake brakes going down the hill. You got motorbikes racing up the hill, we got fire engines coming down. You can't even stand on our front street and have a conversation because the noise is so loud.”

Demuth said the experience left him feeling frustrated and ignored by the city. Residents say if the city talked with them ahead of time, homeowners would have been able to communicate the importance of the berm as a sound barrier.

“They provided no consideration on the impact for the neighbourhood,” Demuth said.

Park space changed

Butzke, who has lived on Sifton Lane since 2021, said there is “definitely a difference” in noise level with the berm removed, but he’s also concerned about how a winding multi-use path will change a neighbourhood green space that was well used and maintained by residents.

He said a neighbour purchased a ride-on lawnmower and cut the grass, and people used the area as “a big backyard.” His daughter would toboggan in the wintertime.

People went for walks and played with their dogs in the open space.

“That's my big concern, is that now they're going to tell us that the dogs aren't allowed to run in the field,” Butzke said.

“You can't toboggan into a walking path. … It’s going to totally change how the park is. I think they just didn't really think about it, I don't think they thought people used it.”

Lack of ‘adequate detail’

The City of Kamloops acknowledged in a statement on the city’s Let’s Talk website that project notices "lacked adequate detail," arranging a site meeting with residents on Sept. 20. The meeting was attended by dozens of residents.

Matt Kachel, City of Kamloops capital projects manager, told Castanet Kamloops he understood there wasn’t enough neighbourhood engagement ahead of the project.

“I'll admit that there wasn't enough information there for people to really understand what's going on,” Kachel said.

Following the resident meeting, the city said it hadn’t considered the benefit of the berm as a sound barrier, and some plan alterations were in the works.

“We are revisiting the design to adjust the height of the pathway or adjacent land to the pre-construction berm level across the majority of the length in front of Sifton Lane,” the city said in a statement.

More designs coming

Kachel said the city is trying to maintain a balance between matching the pre-existing berm height and ensuring future multi-use path users are able to navigate the slope.

Residents have asked the city to look at putting the multi-use path next to Highway 5A, saying there should be enough room for the pathway, the berm, and the green space.

However, Kachel said following the highway grade would be “exhausting” for a multi-use path user, and a winding path helps provide a grade break and slows cyclists to safer speeds. He said building the multi-use path overtop of the sewer line isn't an option either, as if something goes wrong with the pipes, the path would need to be dug up.

“I don't feel like we were able to get that across anymore, just because people were upset about how it came about, which is unfortunate — but we are where we are now,” he said.

Kachel said a design engineer is working on finishing up detailed drawings to show residents the adjusted plans in individual follow-up meetings, noting there will be the opportunity for a little bit of input if the city is able to accommodate it.

“We're doubling down on this, and really throwing all of our comms and our energy at trying to make up for the not-so-great communication at the start,” Kachel said, adding he hopes the city can get people on side with the project.

“I think it'll be really nice. I hope they're happy with it, I really do,” he said.