FTLComm - Tisdale - August 25, 1999

This was the scene at 8:30 this morning as curb and sidewalk crews were hard at work in downtown Tisdale working on both sides of the street.

The curb and sidewalk renewal programme has been ongoing through out July and August and the focus is now in the centre of town. On the West side of the street it has been a storefront by storefront project with elaborate brick work being installed in front of the hair
styling shop. The picture on
the right was taken last week when that work was underway and now the work is completed and the old cement is being removed from in front of Markwart Jewelry store. It was tough going this morning as a town back hoe broke up the concrete to allow for preparation of a new surface.

The chemical make up of Tisdale's soils have very negative effects on modern cement. Though there are wonderful examples of cement sidewalks that date back into the 1920s in perfect condition other areas with cement only laid down in the seventies is so pitted that it no longer has an even surface. The same destruction happens to the curbs and they have been gradually crumbling so this rebuilding process is right on time and
will make a big improvement
on the community.

Curbs in Saskatchewan and most of Canada take a terrific beating as the rapid change in weather conditions are tough on the material as are snow removal work and the application of ice melting chemicals.

Below the owners take a moment to see how things are going as Tim Markwart looks over the scene if front of his store while on the right Mr. Martin discusses the process of rebricking with a craftsman in front of his business.

The bricks are a good idea allowing for minor repairs
and complete removal and relaying if necessary without the loss of the surfacing material. The picture below shows the brick that had been in place now stacked up for reinstallation once the new curbing is poured. In the mean time, folks walk around the site and traffic on the highway (main street) is choked to a single lane at times.