Project Watershed Starts Concrete Removal Work Feb. 3rd at Kus-kus-sum

We are excited to announce that we are starting this year’s restoration work at Kus-kus-sum this Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2022. We will be continuing with the work that happened last summer and fall which will entail excavating the remaining concrete, separating concrete and rebar, crushing concrete, and removal, repurposing, and recycling material offsite.

The contractors, Copcan Civil Ltd., will use excavators and other heavy machinery to remove and crush the concrete. Concrete will be crushed for re-use. Steel rebar and wiring from the surface will be separated out and recycled. After the crushing is complete, the crushed concrete will be available for re-sale throughout the Valley. This crush will be certified as 3-inch minus and can be used as road base or structural fill. We continue to remain committed to reducing waste and the overall footprint of this restoration project wherever possible. Throughout the restoration works this year, there will be noise associated with construction. We will adhere to noise reduction bylaws and keep construction noise limited to the hours 7:30am-5pm.

Once this initial piece of work is complete at the end of March, Project Watershed will begin further earth works and planting of native vegetation. This year, you will see many changes to elevation and shape of the site through the excavation of current substrate, the introduction of topsoil, and the planting of native plant species. We will continue to keep the steel piling wall intact and in place for the time being as it allows us to keep the works on site from impacting the adjacent river. Project Watershed will be hosting a community forum about this work later this year. More information and registration for that event will be shared through our website and social media platforms.

We welcome and celebrate the excitement of the community to see this project come to fruition. If you are interested in observing the work on site, please watch from the river walkway across the Courtenay River rather than parking adjacent to the site or across the road. This is to keep everyone safe, and traffic flowing along Comox Road and we thank you in advance for your understanding.

We are still raising funds for the restoration and welcome continued donations.

The Kus-kus-sum site is an active work zone, please DO NOT enter the site without personal safety equipment (hard hat, steel toed boots and safety vest) and specific permission from Project Watershed staff to do so.