Anderton Wall FAQ
Questions
- Will the 5th Street bridge remain open during demolition?
- How will City facilities and businesses near the project sites be affected?
- How will this affect Canada Day celebrations?
- Why did the City buy the Anderton Arms building?
- How much did the City pay for the Anderton Arms?
- What will happen to the Anderton Wall?
- What's happening with the former Cona Hostel building?
- What is happening with "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street?
- Is there risk to properties across Anderton Avenue or to the Fifth Street Bridge?
- Why is the movement of the wall a concern?
Answers
-
Will the 5th Street bridge remain open during demolition?
Yes, the bridge will remain open during demolition and traffic on 5th Street will continue unobstructed. Traffic control personnel will be on hand to support traffic flow at the corner of 5th Street and Anderton Avenue.
-
How will City facilities and businesses near the project sites be affected?
As 5th Street will remain open, we expect the public to continue to access the Florence Filberg Centre and local businesses unobstructed. The road and sidewalk in front of the Bridge Lounge on Anderton Avenue will close during demolition, but access will be available from Sixth Street entrance. Anderton Avenue, in front of the Anderton Arms apartments and Cona Hostel, will remain open to transit, emergency vehicles and garbage collection only.
-
How will this affect Canada Day celebrations?
Demolition work will not be permitted during the Canada Day celebrations and the successful contractor will have to ensure the site is safe and inactive during the event.
-
Why did the City buy the Anderton Arms building?
The City acquired the Anderton Arms building to address the safety risk. The design and location of the Anderton Arms Apartment Building make it vulnerable to movement of the retaining wall. Tenants of the building have relocated with support from the City, including compensation based on length of tenancy, financial assistance to help wtih moving costs and support from the M'akola Housing Society.
-
How much did the City pay for the Anderton Arms?
The City purchased the Anderton Arms property for $1.55 million. This was determined through appraisal to be fair market value for the property.
-
What will happen to the Anderton Wall?
After much analysis, the City concluded that further repairs to the Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall are not feasible. Phase 1 of the remediation work requires that the buildings in the area be demolished. In Phase 2 of the project, the wall will be removed and the shoreline will be naturalized.
-
What's happening with the former Cona Hostel building?
The City acquired 440 Anderton Avenue (the former Cona Hostel) by expropriation in 2024, about the same time of purchase of the Anderton Arms. This property is also at risk in the event of a failure of the Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall. It will be demolished.
-
What is happening with "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street?
The City owns "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street, on the south-west side of the 5th Street Bridge.It will be demolished along with the Anderton Arms and Cona Hostel buildings.
-
Is there risk to properties across Anderton Avenue or to the Fifth Street Bridge?
Impacts to Anderton Avenue, and properties on the west side of Anderton Avenue, including: the Filberg Centre, 355 Anderton Avenue, and 255 Anderton Avenue are highly unlikely. Impacts to Lewis Park, located across the river are also highly unlikely.
-
Why is the movement of the wall a concern?
The Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall armours land from river flows while supporting backfill for properties along the river. The backfill behind the wall has been sinking and slumping toward the river. This becomes a safety concern for buildings in the area.