The Town of Huntsville has approved $100,000 for the first phase of a $2.2 million capital project to replace the Brunel Lift Locks.
During the Jan. 28 general committee meeting, Tina Scott-Burns, Manager of Parks and Cemeteries, presented a staff report recommending the repairs, as the last major renovation occurred in the late 1990s.
“I do want to remind council, this is one of our biggest capital parks. It is a historic park. We only have one of these parks,” said Scott-Burns. “A lot of people from around the world and a lot of people within our municipality come to this park. They use this park to go fishing. They use the park to come for a picnic. They bring community events to that park. We only have one of these.”
According to Scott-Burns, the project will be split into two phases for better efficiency. She recommended that the costs be covered by the Parks Capital Reserve.
Phase one is set to begin later this year with a budget of $100,000, covering necessary repairs and professional engineering services without closing the locks to the public.
According to the report, this phase will focus on replacing bolts, updating gate seals, and repairing the interlocking brick walkways.
Phase two is set to begin in 2027 with a budget of $2.1 million covering long-term structural integrity, including the cleaning and coating of all structural steel and the total replacement of the northwest, southwest, and southeast timber retaining walls.
Additionally, the report states this phase includes both a visual assessment of above-water sections and a comprehensive inspection of the entire structure to ensure its future safety.
Scott-Burns said the reason for the two-year timeline is to increase their chances of securing a grant.
“With us showing that we are willing to pay out of the Parks Reserve, we have a good chance of getting a 50 per cent (grant). We reached out to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation,” she said, adding the corporation normally does its grants on a two-year basis.
Councillor Monty Clouthier said he fully supports the motion, adding the Lift Locks are a historic part of Huntsville.
“There’s lots of history all over the town, as everybody knows. This is a big part of our town, this lock system. We need the locks,” he said.
As a result, council voted unanimously to approve the first phase of the project, allocating $100,000 from the Parks Capital Reserve.
