The municipality of Temiskaming Shores is closer to starting construction on its waterfront revitalization project.
In mid-July, FedNor ponied up $999,000 for the rehabilitation and enhancements of the Lake Temiskaming waterfront shoreline structures in the two communities of New Liskeard and Haileybury.
The total project cost is more than $2.2 million with the municipality chipping in $222,000, or 10 per cent of the project costs.
The municipality is waiting on matching dollars from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC).
Temiskaming Shores economic development officer James Franks said NOHFC’s contribution was held up due to the provincial election; “however, we hope to receive a response from them on the project by the end of August.”
In Haileybury, the breakwall structure at the former service marina will be rehabilitated where a covered boathouse was removed.
The facility is used by the Temiskaming Shores Sailing School and the part of the breakwall where the building was removed isn’t considered safe for use by the students.
“Parts of the breakwall will be removed and other sections will be revamped to make it more functional to the school,” said Franks.
The breakwall section that’s removed will be replaced with a small park feature, including a picnic shelter. The floating docks and the main dock will be also be upgraded.
In New Liskeard, Franks said some of the gabion baskets and a boat launch dock at the mouth of the Wabi River need repairing and replacement.
The main dock at the marina will be completely replaced with new wooden docking and floatation. In addition, the electrical equipment will be upgraded to handle the needs of larger boats. The boardwalk will be replaced and some additional lighting will be installed in areas that aren’t sufficiently lit at night.
Other retrofits are planned for the New Liskeard Spurline food concession building to bring it up to modern standards.
A new water filtration system and septic waste bed will be installed at Bucke Park Campground, a municipally owned campground on Lake Temiskaming, and some accessible landscaping will be installed at the children’s playground at the parks in both communities.
On the project’s construction timelines, Franks said “some aspects have already been put out for proposals,” but much of the work is to be completed later this year and through next summer.
“Tenders and proposals will be released once all funding partners have confirmed their participation in the project.”
The New Liskeard Farmers Market is looking at building a waterfront facility of their own that could expand their operational hours beyond just Saturday mornings.
The last time the waterfronts in New Liskeard and Haileybury were previously developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, “but much of the infrastructure is becoming worn and tired,” Franks said.
“This project is designed to rehabilitate the waterfronts and once again make them a place for residents and tourists alike to come and enjoy the beauty of the community.”
More construction is happening in Haileybury with Northern College preparing to break ground on the start of a new residence building.
The new four-storey residence will provide accommodation for 64 students in 16 apartment units. Each unit will contain four bedrooms, a kitchen-dining area, a living room, and two bathrooms.
Construction is scheduled to wrap up next August, in time to accept students for the 2015 - 2016 academic year.
Campus Living Centres is the builder and will operate it once construction is complete. The company is the Canada’s largest owner and operator of student housing.
The residence will be located in Rock Walk Park and college officials are working with the Rock Walk committee to determine new locations for the park’s features that could be displaced by construction.
The Haileybury campus is home to the world-renowned Haileybury School of Mines, but the college said it’s the popular veterinary sciences school that’s packing them in.
The demand for accommodations has arisen from a dramatic increase in enrolment due to the introduction and expansion of the veterinary school.
