McHugh Bluff slope closures expected to be long-term

Erosion issues on a slope overlooking the Sunnyside neighbourhood look to be sticking around.

A pathway along the McHugh Bluff near 6 street N.W. has been closed since June thanks to slope failure and retaining wall damage.

But residents hoping for a quick fix may be out of luck.

"The issue is process and weather," ward 7 councillor Terry Wong said. "You can't do it while the ice is still in the ground or when the ground is too soft because of the thaw. So we have to wait until about April until they can even get in there."

The city has put out a request for proposal and it's expected a contract will be awarded in the fall.

Those who own homes nearby wish there was a faster answer.

"I have no sense that anybody knows what they're going to do," Harvey Cohen said. "It's been incredibly frustrating and expensive."

Cohen and his wife have had their property evacuated three times -- including in June, when their tenants were out of a home for 6 days.

The slow erosion of the slope has been pushing mud, water and debris into their backyard for as long as they can remember. They say one incident even damaged the foundation of the building and caused shifting on the second floor.

Last summer, heavy August rains accelerated the problem and harmed a retaining wall. In June, more debris slid down the slope and caused the path closure.

A berm was put up as a temporary solution, but Cohen calls it "the wrong type of answer."

"Dirt collected behind it and now it's a slide," he said. "There are two trees that should be cut down at the top of the hill before they come down, too."

The city says it's monitoring the slope on a weekly basis to make sure people stay out.

Its website says no homes are currently in danger.