City councillors for Portage la Prairie announced at their recent meeting that E.F. Moon has been awarded a project that involves land drainage and sewer renewals along Saskatchewan Avenue.

Mayor Irvine Ferris says the project costs a total of $5.7 million, with $4.3 million being covered by the Canada Infrastructure Program and the additional $1.4 million coming from approved debentures.

"This is the second tender of three for the larger rehabilitation project of Saskatchewan Avenue West," explains Ferris. "This will be from 4th Street to Elm Street in the west end, so this is really good to see this moving ahead."

He adds the work will start for this phase in the spring and summer of this year. Ferris says that this project has been needed for a while, as the main road in Portage has gone without some infrastructure pieces that some people would call necessary.

"The west side of Saskatchewan Avenue had no curb gutters or proper drainage," notes Ferris. "So, you can see that when you're driving, the infrastructure underneath is also getting fairly old and less reliable with age. So, we're going to see that infrastructure replaced."

Ferris confirms that this work will be a continuation of the construction that was taking place on Saskatchewan Avenue West during the fall and is excited to see the work continue later this year.