LAC LA BICHE – After years of construction, detours and major infrastructure work, Lac La Biche’s Main Street revitalization is officially complete.

Lac La Biche County announced the completion of the multi-year project, which rebuilt both what residents see downtown and much of what they don’t.

Below ground, crews replaced aging water and sewer infrastructure along 101 Avenue. Above ground, Main Street was rebuilt with wider sidewalks, new streetscape features, pedestrian improvements, public art, and landscaping.

The project covered 101 Avenue through the heart of downtown, from 100 Street to 103 Street, and was completed in stages to keep businesses accessible during construction.

More than a facelift

While the finished streetscape is the most visible change, replacing aging underground infrastructure was a major driver behind the project.

Rather than replace the water and sewer systems and put the street back the way it was, the County used the opportunity to rethink the downtown core.

The finished Main Street now includes wider sidewalks and bulb-outs at crosswalks designed to improve pedestrian safety, along with new lighting, landscaping and other streetscape improvements.

The area also features plenty of distinctly Lac La Biche touches.

Locally inspired metal cutout art has been incorporated throughout the area, along with wayfinding and interpretive signage highlighting the community and its history.

Residents walking downtown may also notice animal tracks embedded directly into the sidewalks — one of the smaller details incorporated to bring Lac La Biche County’s “Welcoming by nature” identity into its largest commercial district.

Years in the making

Construction was carried out over multiple seasons, with different sections of Main Street completed in phases.

That meant several years of construction impacts for downtown businesses, residents, and drivers as crews worked through the project.

Throughout the work, the County said the goal was not only to replace infrastructure but to create a more walkable downtown, improve the experience for residents and visitors and support future investment in the commercial core.

The County has also offered a separate Business Improvement Program for eligible businesses in Lac La Biche and Plamondon, providing matching funding for projects such as new signage and exterior improvements.

During a May 2025 council discussion about unfinished capital projects, Mayor Paul Reutov indicated the Main Street revitalization was expected to come in under budget.

With construction now complete, the fences and detours are gone and the community finally gets to see the finished product — from the new pipes underground to the animal tracks underfoot.