The 'big dig' is done

Thousands of people braved cold and windy weather to mark the official end of excavation at Wascana Lake in Regina.

Ceremonies were held on Sunday to honour the work of the companies involved. Contractors shared the podium with politicians in front of the provincial legislative building.

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The $18 million cost of the project was shared by city, provincial and federal governments, and Federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale says it is a good example of how all three levels of government can work together.

Goodale also marvelled at the size of the project, which he describes as, "1.3 million cubic metres of earth, moved by 200 workers and a massive amount of equipment, all in the dead of winter, working 24 hours a day."

"All on time, and all on budget," he added.

Before it was drained last fall, Wascana Lake was less than half-a-metre deep in some spots. Once filled again, it will reach depths of more than five-and-a-half metres.

The excavation was conducted by Broda Construction of Prince Albert. The huge trucks made about 96,000 trips out of the lake bed, since the company began removing dirt in early January.