Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Dwane Burke, Wakaw’s Recreation & Community Development Manager, reported on Friday, July 25, 2025, that as long as there was no large rain, paving was scheduled to be completed by July 28.
Paving on First Street continued through Friday and Saturday, starting with a ground base/layer, followed by the top layer being laid. The final density and load tests were completed on Wednesday, July 23rd.
These tests determine whether the sub-base is strong and ready to support new asphalt. If the base flexes more than a precalculated amount, it means that the base is not properly supported, and necessary repairs in compromised areas must be done.
Luckily, the tests returned favourable results, and the paving crew could begin work. The paving started at the site outside the municipal office and the swale located at the intersection of 2nd Ave. and 3rd Street South on Thursday, since those two locations could be completed in one day.
Paving is a two-step process. The binder layer or base layer is comprised of large aggregate mixed with oil, making it very strong and durable. The binder layer can be thought of as the strength of any new asphalt surface. Finally, the top layer of fresh asphalt is added to provide a clean, smooth ride. Surface asphalt is made up of small aggregate, sand, and oil, creating, when installed appropriately, a smooth ride and a shiny, attractive finished surface.
1st Street remained closed until the paving was completed and was reopened to the public this week. Traffic sign-post installation and line painting followed on Monday and Tuesday.
The revitalization concept was initially put to the 1st Street South businesses in a meeting held in the fall of 2022. Brett LaRoche, representing the engineering firm Catterall & Wright at that meeting, explained that the first step to take in any revitalization project was to inspect the below-ground infrastructure to determine its condition, then move to the above-ground infrastructure. Those inspections of the below-ground infrastructure were completed in 2023.
Last fall, the project moved forward to address the above-ground infrastructure. The 100 and 200 blocks of First Street South were excavated, and replacement of the water and sewer mains got underway. The underground infrastructure was put in place during the 1960s, and replacement before a catastrophic failure occurred was the recommended course to follow. The life expectancy of the newly installed water and sewer lines is 75 years. Favourable weather conditions allowed the roadbed sub-base to be completed before winter, and spring 2025 saw the surface work continue.
From the outset, the Town of Wakaw affirmed that inconveniences would result during the project. However, the final product is a much-welcomed improvement to the business core. The Grand Re-Opening will be held on August 16th in conjunction with the second “Walk”-aw Day of the summer. Messages from Mayor Markowski and CAO Dieno will accompany the ribbon-cutting, and celebratory cupcakes and fanfare will signal the culmination of the First Street Revitalization Project.
