Charlottetown stops culvert project after resident complaint

A homeowner in East Royalty, P.E.I., says he was shocked to see a backhoe tearing up the grass in front of his property on Thursday.

Matthew Eye lives on Amanda Drive, where the City of Charlottetown says contractors had started work to replace culverts and fill in ditches along the street.

I'm very disappointed with how the city handled it. No notification. Just showed up and started doing their work.— Matthew Eye

But Eye said he spent thousands of dollars of his own money just a couple of years ago to do that exact work on city property in front of his lawn.

"We were advised by the city what to put in for culverts, and we were told they were not going to be doing ditch fills here," said Eye.

"So we and some other residents paid for it. And now they're coming back and ripping it all up. The way I see it, there's an error here."

City stops project

Eye said the city didn't give him or other residents any notification of the plan. If he had been informed, he believes he likely could have put a stop to it.

When we go back, we'll make sure we get it done right.— Charlottetown Public Works Committee chair Coun. Terry Bernard

"We could've discussed some options," said Eye.

"'Why are you doing this?' We could've posed a few questions. But there wasn't time for that ... I'm very disappointed with how the city handled it. No notification. Just showed up and started doing their work."

Eye said he contacted the city on Wednesday, and the contractor has been ordered to stop the project — at least for now.

Charlottetown Public Works Committee chair Coun. Terry Bernard said he wants time to meet with officials, who drew up the plans for the project.

Dotting the i's, crossing the t's

"We want to look into that to see why the engineer would have been saying that that needs to come up," said Bernard.

"Our thought would've been that the contractor would go and fill in the ditches left to be done, not to be doing the ones already in-filled.

"So we thought we'd stop the project and find out what's going on, and make sure we have all the i's dotted and t's crossed. And when we go back, we'll make sure we get it done right."

Bernard said the city had planned to inform Amanda Drive residents of the ditch project ahead of time.

But he added the contractor got to work faster than expected — just three days after city council passed the resolution awarding the contract.

"It's usually at least a week before the contractor gets geared up and ready to go. In this particular case, he was on the ball and out there the next day," he said. "So letters didn't get out to notify the residents."