Bay Street now 'beautiful'

The sidewalk along Bay Street has an unusual gleam about it this week. With a new stone surface and epoxy installation, the last rays of summer illuminate off the north side of Bay Street.

“The new sidewalk is absolutely beautiful,” said Mallory Jackson of Custom Picture Framing at 825 Bay Street. “I can walk all the way down to Myhre’s and not trip.”

The overlay covered the bumpy and uneven cracks of the old sidewalk, which could not be completely replaced due to its suspension over the water, since digging into the concrete would be complicated and expensive.

Over the last month, the street received repairs along the curb and corner ramps completed by Caseco Associates, which cost the city $78,000. Then an overlay of small stones and epoxy was placed on the top by Sierra Stone Northwest, costing another $41,000.

Last week Douglas Gillespie of Sierra Stone spread the last of the stone running west from Sidney. The process involved brushing an initial epoxy onto the sidewalk, pouring and spreading a rock and epoxy mixture, spreading the surface flat, then finishing it off with a sand and epoxy mixture.

Gillespie said he typically overlays residential driveways, patios or the sides of swimming pools. This is the first time he has overlayed a public walkway.

“We’re pleased with the end product,” Public Works Director Maher Abed said. “It definitely enhanced the appearance of the sidewalk.”

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