A temporary berm currently set up behind a row of Finlay Court homes. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Harlow Berm

Ruckus brewing over Harlow berm extension

Jun 17, 2020 | 5:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT – Plans for a Harlow berm extension is causing a ruckus in the riverside neighbourhood pitting residents who don’t want it against City Hall which says its necessary flood-mitigation infrastructure.

City council approved the $3.5 million extension in December stating the structure will not only protect the homes along Finlay Court indefinitely but prevent water from wrapping around the east side of the berm. But a number of residents along Finlay Court say there are other, less expensive options that will protect the area while not placing a large berm at the edge of their backyard.

Resident Ryan Shrives lived through the record 2013 flood and saw his Finlay Court home’s walk-out basement fill with a couple of inches of water.

He says he understands the risks involved in not have the berm but doesn’t understand why the city isn’t considering alternatives to a permanent structure.

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And the existing temporary berm currently nestled up against his back property line is an example of an option that is also far less expensive.

“Spend a bit money on a permanent footing behind the houses which would not take away from the environment,” said Shrives. “It wouldn’t take away from our property value and if there is potential flooding, the city has already purchased these muscle walls, so just have them erected in those instances.”

But Mayor Ted Clugston says public safety of the greater Harlow neighbourhood is at stake and having the east side of the berm open could see water wrap around the barrier.

“Safety was always the first consideration in the berms,” said the Mayor. “I can look you in the eye and say it was always about safety and now, there are some new benefits as well.”

Those new benefits not included in the original planning which started soon after the 2013 flood includes taking a nearby water lift station offline, burying a pipeline line in the berm to the Harlow lift station.

That will provided saving for the city, said Clugston, adding that option was only discussed well into development of the berm strategy.

Public Works GM Dwight Brown also stressed that even a temporary berm takes time to set up.

Time the city doesn’t necessarily has during an imminent and sudden emergency.

“They are difficult to install, there is a lot of things that have to fit together. You’re moving it, you’re tying it together. You’re making sure on uneven ground that it works,” said Brown.

But there does exist the option of capping off the end of the berm instead of extending it behind the homes on Finlay Court, added Brown.

Something Clugston says isn’t a viable option as while the current homeowners might not have a problem with that, future ones might.

But local residents aren’t buying it and they want the city to open up the issue for further discussion.

“We would really like the city to come to the party and have a constructive conversation with residents,” said Finlay Court resident Mark Scholtz. “And not bully us into something that is not what we’d like to see.”