HUMBOLDT - The City of Humboldt has awarded the contract for preparing the site of a memorial that will be located at the intersection where the 2017-18 Humboldt Broncos bus crash occurred.
City council approved Kirsch Construction as the sole source contract for the preparation of the site of the memorial, a value up to $290,000.
The permanent memorial will be constructed at the intersection of Highways 35 and 335 between Nipawin and Tisdale.
Staff liaison for the Bronco Memorial Committee for the City of Humboldt, Penny Lee, said changes have been made to the memorial site plan.
The revised plan excludes the creation of a man-made pond and walking trail around the north side of the wetland area. The wetland area will instead be left natural.
The cost of the project may be significantly reduced if onsite testing of the existing parking area proves to be suitably stable. The price doesn’t include concrete work, curbing, grass seeding and maintenance.
A permanent memorial, such as a statue or another significant monument, will be constructed north of the parking lot.
The city hopes a sod turning can take place sometime before fall.
Lee said through this process Kirsch Construction, a locally owned and operated company, revealed a willingness to work with the committee and provided an initial quote for site preparations. Following the committee’s decision to make some changes to the design, Kirsch provided an updated quote. Kirsch Construction has committed in-kind services as well.
In April of 2018, 16 people were killed in the tragic bus crash and 13 others were injured.