Mill Woods man's bid to stop work on Valley Line LRT unsuccessful
A Mill Woods resident failed Monday to bring construction of the Valley Line LRT to an immediate halt.
Chris Christianson was in Edmonton Court of Queen's Bench seeking an immediate stop-work order. Last week he had applied for an injunction against the City of Edmonton, EPCOR and ATCO Gas, to be effective Monday.
"What you're telling me doesn't come close to the grounds to stop a city project," Justice Beverly Browne told Christianson, who lives near 35th Avenue and 65th Street.
But Browne did not entirely reject the injunction application. She adjourned the matter until Nov. 7, as some of Christianson's issues with the LRT project are with construction work that won't start for at least a couple of weeks.
Christianson had cited concerns over the lack of communication with about 50 property owners in his neighbourhood. Many have homes bordering the LRT tracks to be built down the east side of 66th Street.
To make way, the main gas line will be moved from behind their homes to in front of their homes. A sound barrier will also be going in.
Concerns about property value
Christianson told court he's concerned the project will affect his property value.
He's worried about how construction behind his house to move the gas line and build the sound barrier will affect the slope of the hill on which it sits.
He's also worried about the hole that's going to be made in his driveway to move his gas service line.
Outside court, Christianson said putting the LRT tracks down the median of 66th Street would reduce the amount of work that needs to be done.
"You wouldn't have to affect the road. You can go over in the centre of the median. In the centre of the boulevard, there's lots of room," he said.
City spokesperson Quinn Nicholson said that's not an option the city is considering.
"To be frank, that's not on the table," Nicholson said outside court. "We've done a lot of public consultation, as you are aware. The decision was made back in 2011 for the placement of that LRT line."
Possible injunction 'a bit concerning'
The city's lawyer, Allan Delgado, told court that having a possible injunction hanging over the Valley Line LRT project is "a bit concerning."
But Nicholson, outside court, said there are no plans to stop construction.
"Obviously, we want to keep communicating with the citizens in that area and let them know what's going on, but we don't see this as stopping construction. It's just an issue we need to address," Nicholson said.
"I think anytime that you're building a major project like this, you're going to have concerns along the alignment and certainly in the first year of construction, as people are getting used to the impacts in their neighbourhoods, there's certainly more agitation and more concern around these issues.
"I think that's what we're dealing with more than anything right now."
roberta.bell@cbc.ca
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