More than $30 million is being poured into a major storm water management reconstruction project in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Fort Creek Aqueduct, a system of channels and ditches that carries water from Fort Creek Dam to Queen Street, will be demolished and rebuilt in stages over the next seven years.
“It’s a major component of our flood-control infrastructure,” city engineer Don Elliott told SooToday.com
The aqueduct is so old, city engineers are unsure when it was built.
The first phase between Queen Street and Albert Street is finished, with the last phase slated for completion by 2020.
The province and the federal government are providing matching dollars of $10,420,000 each with the city picking up the remaining project expenses, amounting to $31.2 million.
Elliott estimates half of the total funding is earmarked for labour.
“David (Orazietti) and I and the city recognize this is a huge priority project for Sault Ste. Marie and funding of this magnitude does not come along that often,” said local MP Bryan Hayes.
MPP David Orazietti said the project is not a sexy one, but controlling and managing flood waters in the community is vitally important.
“It’s one of those things residents expect to be in place, don’t necessarily want to know about it or see it, but we need it there in case of significant weather events.”
