Village Projects and Construction

This page was last reviewed on June 3, 2022.

Caution: Potholes

The Village has a number of projects in the works. This page contains a summary of projects included in budgets.

Find out more about the current financial plan, including

capital and operating projects
road and utility projects
property tax impacts
reserve balances

View Plans, Reports and Studies for information on capital planning studies on improving public infrastructure.

Lake Park Boat Launch

July 23, 2021 update: The boat launch replacement docks/ramps previously scheduled for installation in early summer has been pushed back due to supplier delays with the new custom docks/access ramps. Staff continue to work with the dock supplier to finalize the project schedule, with the docks now likely to be installed after peak season.

In early 2021, the Village was the successful recipient of grant funding from the BC Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program for planning, design of upgrades for 2021 safety improvements to the boat launch and shoreline/retaining wall of the waterfront at Lake Park.

In order to help guide these safety improvement to the boat launch, staff engaged Council members at its April 26, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting to receive feedback on boat launch long term planning and service levels over the next 30 year planning period based on the reports presented:

Informal feedback from Council members at the April 26, 2021 meeting, include:

general preference for a discussion with regional stakeholders on Comox Lake boat access;
challenges in dock and ramp design relating to the water levels fluctuations from hydroelectric controls;
parking issues related to the challenging the topography and available space on site;
a general preference for maximizing available parkign while encouraging land launch opportunities, incorporating elements of draft design Option 1 and 2 in the draft Outlook report dated April 17, 2021;
interest in exploring a reservation system and webcam on site; and
exploring restrictions on boat size as a long term option.

Next steps:

Short Term Safety Improvements will now be implemented, including replacement of the southeast log floats/ramps that access newer docks (timeline = summer 2021). A follow up Council Report will also be presented to Council later in 2021 when further project scope and design details are available.
Boat Launch Policy and Long Term Planning Options will continue to be reviewed and evaluated in regards to service level options over a 30 year period. A final report will be presented to Council at an open meeting in the future prior to any significant changes in service levels from being implemented

Parks and Recreation Projects:

Boat launch ramp and dock safety improvements at Lake Park
Parking lot upgrades at Coal Creek Historic Park
Replace interior doors at Cumberland Recreation (grant)
soffit replacement at Cultural Centre
top up wood fibre at Village Park playground
zipline repair at Village Park playground
new in ground garbage receptacles at Village Park
bike racks and new entrance sign at Lake Park
swimming log boom replacement at Lake Park
two new benches on the South Wellington Colliery trail
preliminary planning and design work on trail towards Comox Lake
increase in janitorial hours for public facilities and washrooms
jump park maintenance contractor increase
increase in annual park maintenance and repair
increase in tree maintenance services in parks

Administrative and Financial Services

Proposed Capital Projects Financial Plan
Proposed Five Year Operating Projects & Transfers to Reserves
Civic facilities and property review
new Customer service staff position
new electronic utility billing

Protective Services

new boat motor for new rescue boat purchased in 2020
annual turnout gear replacement
equipment replacement for wildfire protection unit

Roads, Water and Sewer

Wastewater Treatment (Sanitary and Storm Sewer)

Design and construction of the $9.7 million upgrade to the Village’s lagoon wastewater treatment plant is expected to commence in the fall of 2021. Cumberland’s sewage treatment has issues in relation to elevated levels of phosphorous and excessive wet weather flows, and is out of compliance with regulatory standards.

Find out more about the project.

2021 Road and Utility Projects

Solar powered cross walk lights on Cumberland Road at Bruce Street
Sidewalk on Egremont from Ulverston to south of Rydal next to Cumberland School
Sidewalk on Ulverston between Second and Third Streets
Access road to sewer main on south side of Camp Road (Dunsmuir Avenue)
Water, sewer, storm sewer and road work on Ambleside Avenue
Sewer work on Egremont from Penrith to Dunsmuir
Water, sewer, storm work on Maryport Avenue from Egremont to Silecroft Roads
Royston Road sewer lift station pump replacement

2020 Road and Utility Projects – starting in late October 2020

Derwent Avenue, Fifth to Sixth Street – road reconstruction and storm sewer; and Sixth Street, Derwent to Allen – utility upgrades
New sidewalk on Windermere Avenue, from Cumberland School to Second Street; and First Street, Maryport to Ulverston – utility upgrades
Maryport Avenue, Third to Fourth – road upgrades
Cultural Centre parking lot – storm sewer upgrades
Road surfacing upgrades to Comox Lake Road and portion of Union Road – complete
storm drainage upgrade in alley at Mill Street/Cumberland Road

Designs proposed in 2020 for 2021 construction:

Wastewater lagoon treatment upgrades – hire project team and engineer, define project scope and specifications, geo-technical site investigation, design and pre-construction work, conclude reed bed trail. Find out more.
Ambleside Avenue, First to Second – road, water, storm and sanitary sewer
Egremont Road, Dunsmuir to Penrith – sanitary sewer
Maryport Avenue, Egremont to Silecroft – water, storm sewer and road work

Water Supply Capital Improvements Projects

An updated long term water supply strategy was received by Council in June 2016. In July 2016, Council approved upgrades to the Village’s water treatment, storage and distribution infrastructure. In March 2017, the Village received a grant from the federal/provincial Clean Water and Wastewater Fund that will pay for 83% of eligible costs (up to $4 988 300) for the improvements.

Undertake bathymetric survey – Completed in 2016
Secure land for locating new UV and chlorine water treatment plant and storage reservoir – Completed in 2016
Construction of twinning of the supply line – Completed in 2017
Construction of a new water treatment plant and storage reservoir – Completed December 2020

The treatment plant includes dual barrier disinfection treatment made up of ultra violet (UV) and chlorine, which utilizes a sodium hypochlorite generation unit. The Village will also need to continue to meet the filtration deferral conditions. This storage reservoir will store treated water.

Installation of water level and quality monitoring equipment on dam infrastructure in 2021/2022

Find out more about Cumberland’s Water Supply System.

Water Supply Reservoir Dam Upgrades

The Village is working on conceptual and preliminary designs for upgrades to the Henderson Lake and No. 2 dams.

Road and Utility Replacement Plan

The Village has completed the roads component of a long term road and utility replacement plan and continues to work on the utilities component of the plan. The plan will help determine and budget annual road infrastructure works. The plan will identify those roads that need underground water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer work before road reconstruction, as well as those roads that can be reconstructed without the underground services.

The Village attempts to rebuild at least one block of road each year.

Sidewalk Plan

The Village has assessed existing sidewalks and travel routes in Cumberland to identify blocks of roads that need new sidewalks as well as sidewalk replacement, in particular those areas that are transportation routes to key locations such as the Cumberland Community School, in partnership with School District 71. This is part of the Active Transportation Planning initiative. The Village is also working with School District 71 on developing a trail network around the school.

Completed Projects

New Fire Hall Construction

In June 2016, a 2.5 acre parcel was purchased at 4382 Cumberland Road as the site of a new fire hall. Approximately $2 million is reserved for fire hall construction of approximately $4 million. In the meantime, the site will be used as a staging area for summer road construction in the Village. In 2018, a detailed fire hall design will be developed. The fire hall became operational in April 2021. Find out more about the new fire hall.

In 2018, approximately $500,000 was budgeted for the purchase of a new fire engine, which was delivered in 2020.

Bevan and Cumberland Road Upgrades

The final step of Phase 2 road upgrades and landscaping work on Cumberland Road from Hope Road to Union Road was completed late May 2018. Work includes removing the pre-loading over the wetlands, road excavation and reconstruction, asphalt and shouldering, and landscaping.

Cumberland Road businesses are open and accessible. Please expect road closures and detours to Union Road during the 6 to 8 week construction period. Whenever possible, the road will be open in the evening and on weekends.

Phase 1 of this project was completed in 2015.

Phase 2 was started in 2017 and included upgrades on Bevan Road between Wellington Street and Cumberland Road, and Cumberland Road between Bevan and Union Roads.

For more information about this work, see Village Upgrades – Spring 2018.

Sutton Road Upgrades

Construction of a pedestrian/cycling corridor and safety improvements to the corner at Comox Lake Road took place from the end of March 2018 to May 2018. The pedestrian/cycling corridor travels from the Cumberland Recreation parking lot to the entrance of the Community Forest on Sutton Road.

Cumberland Recreation Centre Renovation Study

The Cumberland Recreation Centre Renovation Study was presented to Council at its January 11, 2016 meeting. Watch for updates here on how the Village determines how to implement the study. View the January 2016 Cumberland Recreation Centre Renovation Study.

Village Park Family Area Landscape Improvements

Work was completed in 2017 on landscape and accessibility improvements to the Family Area of Village park (adjacent to the playground). The project included improvements to the park entrance, new concrete walkways and shrub beds, and the installation of an accessible picnic table and drinking water fountain.

The project was funded in part by a grant from the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility program.

Coal Creek Historic Park Chinatown Walking Tour

New interpretive signs were installed in Chinatown in the spring of 2017. In partnership with the Cumberland Museum and Archives, the Village developed new content for the historic Chinatown Walking Tour in Coal Creek Historic Park. A special thanks to Connie Graham from Vancouver Island University for research used in support of the project.

Coal Creek Historic Park Disc Golf Course

In the fall of 2016 Council approved the trial Disc Golf Course in Coal Creek Historic Park as a permanent park amenity. The Village will continue to work in partnership with the Comox Valley Disc Golf Club to manage the course and to make ongoing improvements.

Skate Park and Bike Jump Park in Village Park

Construction of the much-anticipated Skatepark and Jump Park is was completed in fall 2017. The project was a collaboration between the Village and the Cumberland Community Schools Society (CCSS) and United Riders of Cumberland (UROC).

The 5200 square foot custom concrete skatepark has a street section, a bowl and a mini-ramp. The Jump Park includes four dirt jump trails (beginner through to expert in difficulty rating), a pump track and a run bike trail.

The total value of the project is $465,000. The majority of project funding has come from the Village, as well as additional funding from the UROC and the CCSS via fundraising events, grants, and in-kind donations. Construction begin in spring 2017 with a target completion in summer 2017. For more information, see our Skatepark and Jump Park page.

Cumberland Cemetery

The Village is working to implement the Cemeteries Master Plan. In 2017 and 2018, this will include a new natural burial area, and improvements to landscaping and irrigation in the cemetery. Find out more about projects at the Cumberland Cemetery.

The Village has applied for and been granted certificates of public interest for the Japanese Cemetery and the Chinese Cemetery, both located on Union Road.

Comox Lake Road

A 200 m section of Comox Lake Road that was subject to a 2015 slope stabilization project has settled and compacted, and was paved in spring 2016.

Street Signage and Wayfinding Signs

In 2015 and 2016, new heritage-style street name blades were installed in the historic Village commercial core area. These new wayfinding signs are located at key locations in the Village and point the way to parks, recreation facilities and other public venues.

Egremont Road Project

Second phase underground services installation and full road reconstruction was completed on Egremont Road from Penrith to Windermere in 2016.

Dunsmuir Corridor Underground Services Project

The Village received a two-thirds funding grant from Building Canada’s Small Communities Program for the $2.77 million project to upgrade and renew underground services along the Dunsmuir corridor in 2016. The project was substantially completed in 2016, with final details like road painting taking place in early 2017.

Heritage Management Plan

In 2016, the Village developed a new heritage management plan to:

Provide an overarching policy framework to guide heritage conservation now and into the future,
Set out priorities for heritage conservation activities based on the identified heritage values and sites, including a conservation plan for Village owned assets, and
Identify tools for the conservation of heritage values and sites on non-municipal property within the Village.

“Welcome to the Village” Highway Entrance Sign

A new Welcome to the Village of Cumberland sign, located on the highway south of Cumberland, was completed in June 2016.

Trail Head Kiosk at Sutton Road Entrance to Cumberland Community Forest

Work is completed on the construction of a new trail head kiosk near the yellow gate in the Cumberland Community Forest.

The new kiosk allows for the posting of improved signage relating to Cumberland’s popular trails and the Cumberland Community Forest Park. The area is also enhanced as a meeting and gathering point with a new bicycle hitching post and benches.

The project is a partnership between the Village of Cumberland and the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC) with funding support from Mountain Equipment Co-op and the Government of Canada, in partnership with the National Trails Coalition.

Land Access Agreements for Recreational Trails

In January 2016, the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC), Village of Cumberland, TimberWest Forest Corp., and Hancock Forest Management reached a land access agreement to formally allow non-motorized recreation on private managed forest lands adjacent to the Village of Cumberland.

This progressive and multi-faceted agreement not only authorizes public recreation on private and public forest lands south of the Village, but gives the private landowners the opportunity to better communicate and manage risks associated with people recreating on their land.

Village community parks, such as Coal Creek Historic Park and the Cumberland Community Forest, are not part of this agreement and will continue to be managed by the Village.

2015 Water, Sewer, Storm Drain and Road Upgrades

Upgrades to the Bevan Road section of the Cumberland/Bevan Road landfill corridor reconstruction project.
Allen Avenue from Third to Fourth Streets and Fifth to Sixth Streets had the water main replaced.
Storm sewer trunk main was installed under Sutton/Egremont Road from Derwent to Penrith.

Comox Lake Road Stabilization

Road and slope stabilization construction took place in early 2015, closing a section of road accessing Lake Park and the boat launch. Council allocated $300,000 from federal Community Works funds, $75,000 from general accumulated surplus, and approved short term borrowing of $100,000 for a five year term for the project. BC Hydro contributed an additional $200,000.

Recreation Program Review

In early 2015, the recreation program review was completed and a report of findings was presented to Council early in 2015.

Stevens Lake Dam Seismic Upgrades

Construction took place in 2014 to reduce the potential failure of the dam due to an earthquake at an estimated cost of $560,000. This project received elector approval through an alternate approval process that took placed in May and June 2013. As of November 2014, the major works are complete with the exception of construction of an overhead walkway.

Find out more about Cumberland’s water system.

Pavement Management Plan

In 2013 and 2014 a road and utility rehabilitation plan was developed for the Village.

It provides the Village with a database of which roads in the Village need sewer and water line work and road base reconstruction before they can be resurfaced. The plan also identifies roads which do not need major reconstruction and that can be resurfaced without extensive underground work.

2014 Water, Sewer, Storm Drain and Road Upgrades

Work took place from August to November 2014 on four capital works projects involving road and underground utility work:

Second Street, Derwent Avenue to Allen Avenue: Water main replacement design work was completed in 2012. In 2014, water main upgrade and looping occurred at 2nd and Allen Avenue.
Lane North of Windermere: Sewer main replacement and new storm sewer installed between Second and Third Streets.
Lane north of Maryport: Half a block of new sewer main between Fifth and Sixth Streets.
Maryport: New Road, Water main, and some Storm sewer between Fourth and Fifth Streets.

Third Street (Penrith to Derwent) Road Reconstruction and Drainage Improvements

Work was underway in August and September 2013 to install a new sewer and storm drain on Third Street from Penrith Avenue to Derwent Avenue. Once the underground work is complete, Third Street will be reconstructed and paved from Penrith to Derwent.

The new storm drain will redirect a significant flow of storm water in the area from the sanitary sewer to the storm sewer. This project was postponed to 2013 in order to combine it with a road upgrade project for Third Street north of Dunsmuir. The project was completed in fall 2013.

Coal Creek Well and Dunsmuir Avenue West (Camp Road) Water Main

Construction of a new underground water main on Dunsmuir Avenue (Camp Road) and a new ground water source control building adjacent to Comox Lake Road commenced in the fall of 2012.

The new Coal Creek well will increase water capacity for the Village in line with the Village’s priority of establishing an adequate and high quality source of water for the current and future residents of the Village. This work is related to the Coal Valley Estates Ltd. Phase 4 and 4A subdivision application for land located north of Camp Road.

Installation of all mainline pipes and appurtenances including switching over existing services to the new main was also completed.

Other Road Projects

Second Street, Derwent Avenue to Allen Avenue: Water main replacement design work was completed in 2012.
Allen Avenue, Second Street to Fourth Street: Design work for water main replacement has been completed from Second to Third Street. Design work from Third to Fourth Street is complete.
Windermere/Maryport alley, Fifth to Sixth Street: Sewer replacement design work was completed in 2012.
Ulverston/Windermere alley, Second to Third Street: Design work has been completed for sewer and storm drain work.
Maryport Avenue, Fifth to Sixth Street: Design work is complete for water main replacement.

Comox Lake Road – Single Lane Closure

On August 8, 2012, a 200m portion of Comox Lake Road immediately before Cumberland Lake Park Campground was reduced to single lane traffic. The closure of the westbound lane is due to slope stability concerns, and a comprehensive geotechnical engineering study is planned for the site.

The Village plans to engage a geotechnical consultant to undertake an investigation of the subsurface conditions of Comox Lake Road including recommendations for slope stabilization and road reconstruction.

Cumberland Lake Park

New boat docks at the boat launch were installed in 2013 at a cost of $17,600.

Maple Creek Bridge

In early 2014 reconstruction of the small bridge of the Maple Creek tributary at the base of Second Street took place. This trail accesses the Cumberland Community Forest and trail network.

Coal Creek Park Signage

New historical and park information signage at Jumbo’s Cabin on Comox Lake Road was installed in early 2014.

Cultural Centre

Repairs to the roof and building, valued at approximately $11,000, occurred in 2013.

Village Park

Work related to the replacement of the Village Park playground was completed in early 2014. A request for proposals was issued in late spring 2013 to playground companies with the preferred playground components based on public input from the community in late May 2013.

In late fall 2013 the dog park fence was replaced and new signage was installed with a kiosk/park information shelter.

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