Residents of a southwest Edmonton neighbourhood were outraged, after crews arrived and started tearing up a park in the area – work they quickly found out was done by mistake.

Susan Field lives in Aspen Gardens, and said she and about 50 of her neighbours pushed City of Edmonton officials for answers after crews arrived and started stripping the sod and topsoil from an area greenspace this week.

“Seeing this in front of our place is a shock,” Field said.

After some time, the city provided an answer as to why the greenspace was being torn up.

“The intent of this area was to put down equipment and materials, with minimal impact to the area,” Clement Yong with the City of Edmonton’s Drainage Services. “The intent was not to significantly disturb the area.”

As it turns out, it was all a mistake – drainage work is being done in the nieghbourhood, and the park was to be used to leave tools and supplies for the drainage project.

“Bad news they wrecked it,” Field said. “Good news it’s not going to get any worse.”

City officials are investigating the incident.

“We are investigating that miscommunication and we are committed to restoring it back to its original plan,” Yong said.

Officials said it’s not clear how long it will take to correct, or how much it will cost to fix – but neighbourhood residents will be informed.

With files from David Ewasuk