The City of Calgary and the community of Sunnyside are marking the completion of a major flood mitigation project after two years of construction. City officials say the Sunnyside flood barrier provides about 2.4 kilometres of protection for the communities of Sunnyside and Hillhurst and is designed to withstand a one-in-100-year flood event. “It combines permanent flood walls and sheet walls, as well as temporary deployable systems to create a consistent wall protecting the community,” said Michael Thompson, the City of Calgary’s acting chief operating officer of water utility. The project cost $73 million and forms part of Calgary’s broader flood mitigation efforts following the 2013 flood. The city says it has invested a total of $1.3 billion in flood protection since then, reducing about 70 per cent of its overall flood damage risk. “This means fewer Calgarians will have their homes exposed to flood damage, fewer businesses will face disruption and recovery costs, and fewer impacts to roads, pathways, utilities and other public infrastructure,” Thompson said. The city says work is ongoing to address the remaining 30 per cent of flood risk, particularly in areas along the Bow River upstream of the Elbow River confluence. “A lot of the remaining risk does continue to accrue to communities along the Bow River and largely upstream of the confluence of the Elbow,” said Frank Frigo, the city’s manager of environmental management. “That investment in additional upstream storage is perhaps the largest single piece we still need to address.” Frigo pointed to other mitigation projects, including the Springbank off-stream reservoir, which he said has already demonstrated its value. He said heavy rainfall on June 28 marked the first use of the reservoir, which, alongside the expanded Glenmore Reservoir, helped prevent damage along the Elbow River during an event comparable to the 2005 flood. Beyond flood protection, the Sunnyside project also includes upgrades aimed at improving community spaces. New pathways feature separated walking and cycling lanes, along with added green space, seating areas and space for community events. “We can walk these pathways, we can go down and sit by the river, and we can all enjoy that together,” said Ward 7 Coun. Myke Atkinson. Residents say the improvements have enhanced both safety and accessibility. “They’ve done such a beautiful job separating the pedestrians from the cyclists, adding more trees and green space,” said Sunnyside resident Linda Craig. Additional pathway work is expected to continue, with construction slated to wrap up in early October.
