Officers' Square project in high gear to meet Harvest deadline

Fredericton's Officers' Square is buzzing with activity this week as crews prepare the downtown park for transformation from construction site to concert venue.

"It's a very tight timeline," said Sean Lee, Fredericton's assistant director of engineering and operations.

"We've got a lot of stuff happening all at once, so multiple contractors all working together to get this project done."

The park is in the midst of a major renovation project but is making room and temporary accommodations for the Harvest Music Festival, which begins Tuesday.

WATCH | Crews pour concrete for future skating oval in downtown square:

The tempo picks up as construction crews prep Frederictons Officers' Square for Harvest music festival

1 year ago

Duration 1:40

After a rainy summer caused delays, Sean Lee, assistant director of engineering and operations for the city, updates construction in Officers' Square.

"We've got the stage going in, the electrical room for the stage, we've got the maintenance building going in, and we also have the skating track going in," Lee said. "These are all big things that need to happen.

"This was our summer to get a lot of stuff done."

A lot of rainy weather, however, resulted in work delays. Contractors, consultants and city staff all had to pull together to make up for it, he said.

"It's not going to be finished completely, but we'll be able to create a space so that Harvest can function."

Skating-track work underway

The big job Tuesday was pouring the concrete for an ice-skating track.

A number of crews worked together to pour continuously around the entire rectangle.

"Ideally we would have been pouring quite some time ago," said Lee.

"But we are where we are, and we found a path forward to get it done."

A fast-curing compound, then fabric and water were applied to the concrete to get it to set evenly and quickly but not too quickly.

The soil in the track's inner rectangle was covered with boards to create a temporary event floor where a big concert tent can be installed.

City staff have been working "very, very closely" with Harvest organizers, said Lee.

They should have access by late Thursday night or Friday to start setting it up, he said.

"I think they've been nervous. But I think they're planning to move ahead and they know where we are."

It's a timeline that festival organizers are prepared for, having been in close contact with city officials in recent weeks, said music director Brent Staeben.

"We're really thankful that we're here now," he said.

"We knew that if the cement went in Tuesday as it has we'd be able to get things set up in time."

A site plan has been mapped out. A team of 30 to 40 volunteers, paid crew and city staffers will go in and get the tent set up, as well as bleachers, staging and sound and lighting equipment.

"We'll be ready for next Thursday night," said Staeben.

That's when the Mojo tent is scheduled to host its first shows, featuring Kylie Fox, Crystal Shawanda and David Myles.

The work in Officers' Square won't be totally done this week, so there will be fences to block off certain areas during the festival, said Lee.

Main access will be from Queen Street and a connection will be established to washrooms on the far side of the tent, he said.

Some of the piles of gravel on the site are being either covered up or smoothed over, so it's easy for people to get in and out.

The Officers' Square revitalization has been going on for a few years. It's proving to be one of the most complicated projects the city has ever undertaken, said Lee, but things are moving ahead.

Work is being done on the maintenance building and the permanent stage, which has the main power supply and a green room.

Some construction work will continue in the square during the festival, he said.

Harvest was one of two key deadlines for the project, said Lee.

The other is to be open for skating in January.

"We're on track to reach that target as well," he said.