More slides along the escarpment in downtown Whitehorse have prompted the city to advise residents to stay away from the area, with Sixth Avenue from Jeckell Street to Drury Street and the dog park at the end of Main Street closed just after 2 p.m. May 28.
The City of Whitehorse issued advisories for the escarpment area in a social media posts May 28, also announcing it has activated its Emergency Operations Centre to “effectively coordinate its response to the recent slides.”
“Due to heavy rain last night and today’s warm weather, the escarpment has become more unstable and there have been more slides,” the first post reads . “The public is asked to stay away from both the top and the base of the escarpment.”
A post announcing the Sixth Avenue and dog park closure followed with the city stating more slides are expected.
A number of areas along the base of the escarpment have been fenced off in recent weeks, following the major landslide which closed a large portion of Robert Service Way, the Millennium Trail and Airport Trail on April 30. The city has been clearing debris and is installing a sheet piling wall in an effort to stabalize the area. It’s anticipated the installation, which was set to begin May 27, will take anywhere from a week to 10 days depending on weather. The roadway is expected to then reopen with temporary traffic controls in place.
(Stephanie Waddell)