Elliot Lake CAO Daniel Gagnon told Elliot Lake Council at its Monday night meeting that the city's main boat launch adjacent to Westview Park will be closed immediately for approximately two weeks.
It's to allow for reconstruction of the city's new main boat launch off Highway 108. This the fourth phase of the waterfront redevelopment that began last summer with the removal of the old wooden fishing docks parallel to the shoreline and the installation of a new state of the art permanent fishing dock with aluminum trim and vinyl decking.
Mr. Gagnon will announce the temporary closure to permit the latest work on the boat launch in a news release from City Hall on Tuesday. He will explain it will be done to allow for removal of the old boat launch, and for work to proceed on site preparation and to permit installation of the new boat launch.
Earlier this summer, a 150 foot fishing pier was installed that juts into Elliot Lake at a 90 degree angle from the fishing dock. As well, a series of finger docks were attached to the shore a few metres to the south this summer. Once the boat launch is completed, main pier shading will be added at the seating areas on the fishing pier. Hopefully that will happen this year.
All the construction is being done by the company which fabricated most of components being used in the waterfront build to date, Kropf Industries of Owen Sound. Their equipment and crews are now on the scene.
Mr. Gagnon told council members the area is still considered a construction zone and there is no security on site. He'll be asking members of the public to stay away from work areas while crews are present. The city is hoping to keep facilities not directly impacted by work on the boat launch open for public use as much as possible. But the CAO stressed there will be some service disruptions.
Elliot Lake Economic Development Coordinator Ashten Vlahovich told council that the shading structures for the fishing pier are on order from the manufacturer and it may take a little longer than originally anticipated to get them on site and installed.
Once the nautical construction wraps up, the whole area will be landscaped.