Saanichton Water Main Replacement

Work on this section of the water main replacement is substantially complete. Over the coming weeks, crews will be on site to water the new grass and, once parts arrive, install pedestrian-activated flashing beacons at the new Cultra Avenue crosswalk. 

Some local residents will not be able to use their driveways in late July and early August while the sidewalk is poured between Cultra and Lisnoe Avenues. We have arranged for temporary on-street parking for those residents on the west side of Wallace. During this time, the newly painted bike lane is temporarily closed to maintain safety.

Please follow signage that indicates cars and cyclists share the lane (like they have historically on this section of Wallace Drive). The new bike lane will be open very soon! Thanks for your patience.

Pouring for the new sidewalk on the east side of Wallace Drive, between Cultra Avenue and Lisnoe Avenue, is now scheduled. Local residents can expect the latest schedule early next week with temporary changes to vehicle access for driveways.

The new bike lane on the west side of Wallace will remain closed until local residents' driveway access is restored.

Paving on Wallace Drive is scheduled to continue Friday, July 4, until Wednesday, July 9. There will be single lane alternating traffic, Monday-Friday, with waiting periods.

Expect bumpy pavement this week and over the weekend. Please plan for an alternate route, if possible, or drive very slowly and cautiously.

Crews are working to make this as smooth as possible for everyone, including prioritizing school buses and transit.

Due to rain in the forecast, the schedule will need to be extended for pouring the new curb and gutter on the east side of Wallace Drive, between Cultra Avenue and Lisnoe Avenue. Local residents can expect the latest schedule early next week with temporary changes to vehicle access for driveways.

The new curb and gutter on the east side of Wallace Drive, Cultra Avenue to Lisnoe Avenue, is scheduled to be poured between Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 24. 

Despard Contracting delivered a letter to nearby residents to outline the schedule for curb and sidewalk pours and temporary changes to vehicle access for driveways on the east side of Wallace Drive, between Cultra Avenue and Lisnoe Avenue.

With the water main installed, paving on Wallace Drive is scheduled to begin Wednesday, June 4, until Friday, June 13. There will be single lane alternating traffic, Monday-Friday, with waiting periods. 

Expect bumpy pavement this week and over the weekend as base paving is completed first. Please plan for an alternate route, if possible, or drive very slowly and cautiously.

Crews are working to make this as smooth as possible for everyone, including prioritizing school buses and transit.

Water main installation is finishing up this week near Lisnoe Avenue. Next week, crews anticipate working near Blossom Park to begin installing new service lines. Homes that will have a planned disruption to water service will receive further information from Despard Contracting about specific arrangements.

The southbound bus stop (Stop 102066) on Wallace Drive, just south of Lisnoe Avenue, will be temporarily closed starting April 8, 2025. Please plan extra time for your trip and board at the next stop (Stop 102033), just south of Cultra Avenue.

The western section of Cultra Avenue at Wallace Drive is now open to traffic. Stay tuned for updates on BC Transit and school bus routes as work approaches Lisnoe Avenue. Single lane alternating traffic continues during road work.

Water main installation is scheduled to continue this week. Crews anticipate working at the Cultra Avenue intersection, where the water main crosses under the road. Access at Cultra Avenue on the east side of Wallace Drive will be temporarily closed during work hours, until road work progresses north. Please plan to use East Saanich Road as an alternate route. 

With students back from Spring Break, crews will continue to prioritize school buses and transit along Wallace Drive.

The northbound bus stop (Stop 102052) on Wallace Drive, just north of Cultra Avenue, will be temporarily re-located on March 22, 2025. Please plan a bit of extra time for your trip.

Despard Contracting sent a letter to properties with frontages on the east side of Wallace Drive, between Cultura Avenue and Lisnoe Avenue, to confirm the start date for removing hedges and vegetation within the municipal right-of-way. The letter included anticipated dates and timing, what to expect and how to contact them in case of questions or concerns. These landscaping changes are anticipated before the bird nesting window begins near the end of March.

With the site now prepped, water main installation is scheduled to begin Monday, March 17. Crews are working to make this as smooth as possible for everyone, including prioritizing school buses and transit.

Initial prep is nearly complete and road work is anticipated to start Monday, March 10. Starting Monday, vehicles can no longer be parked on Wallace Drive between Blossom Park and Lisnoe Avenue. Please see the What to expect section on this project page for changes to road use.

Despard Contracting sent a letter to nearby residents to outline project details, what to expect and how to contact them in case of questions or concerns. The letter included anticipated timing and reminders about:

• Parking: This section will match Wallace Drive sections above and below, where on-street parking is not available.
• Landscaping: Within the municipal right-of-way, necessary hedge and vegetation removal will improve sightlines for road safety and accommodate curb and sidewalk additions.
• Utilities: Homes that are directly affected (like by a possible disruption to water service), will receive further information from Despard Contracting about specific arrangements.

With the contract awarded, the District kicked off the project with Despard Contracting on Thursday, February 27. The project schedule was confirmed, with a start date of Monday, March 3.

The District delivered invitations to residents with frontages along Wallace Drive and held an information session to share details and answer questions about the project.

The Engineering team delivered notification letters to properties with frontages along Wallace Drive. They spoke with residents about the project and anticipated permanent changes to road use (like on-street parking no longer being available between Blossom Park and Lisnoe Avenue, matching the sections of Wallace Drive above and below) and to the municipal right-of-way (like cutting back hedges and vegetation within the municipal right-of-way, where necessary).

Update on Mar. 31, 2025: Please note for clarity that the project team spoke with local residents who were at home when they delivered notification letters on a Friday afternoon (Nov. 15, 2024) and invitations on a Thursday afternoon (Nov. 21, 2024). The invitations were for the information session held on a Thursday evening (Nov. 28, 2024). We did not speak with everyone. The notification letters invited local residents to email the project team with questions.