Coach Hill sinkhole growing as water main repairs drag on

A growing sinkhole in Calgary's Coach Hill neighbourhood continues to expand nearly two weeks after a water main ruptured, frustrating residents and raising concerns about potential street closures.

The water main broke underground on May 26 along Coach Hill Road SW, flooding the street and leaving behind damage that has steadily worsened as crews work through repair challenges. Residents lost running water for close to four days after the break.

Karen Lasku, who lives along the affected stretch, says the sinkhole has nearly doubled in size since the rupture. "It's been growing day by day, it's been getting bigger and bigger," she said, adding she worries the collapse could reach the sidewalk. "Then we'd be actually trapped in here, and we don't know for how long."

The City of Calgary has warned the entire cul-de-sac may need to be closed if the ground continues to shift. Some residents have taken to parking their vehicles up the street rather than in their garages. Others praised city workers on the ground but expressed frustration with the length of the repairs.

A Calgary spokesperson said crews have encountered challenges at the site but a larger crew has now been mobilized. Repairs are expected to be completed early this week, followed by backfilling and roadway restoration. One resident noted that the timing could have been far worse: if the break had happened in January, working conditions would have been much harder.