Dysart et al public works director, Rob Camelon, said he’s hopeful the installation of a new footbridge in Head Lake Park will be completed this summer.
The township has spent weeks scrambling for alternative options after council, in March, opted against spending around $600,000 on a like-for-like replacement for the existing arched structure. Instead, elected officials directed staff to investigate a modular design, using a Bailey bridge, to save money.
Initially, Camelon felt the lower-cost option wasn’t feasible, with DM Wills Associates, the engineer contracted to oversee the replacement, finding multiple problems. Chief among those was that a modular bridge would result in a lower soffit elevation, meaning less vertical clearance, over the Drag River, which feeds into Head Lake.
Given the changing elevation, Camelon said Transport Canada would need to sign off on the redesign. With the stream classified as an unscheduled waterway, and largely unnavigable, Camelon said the township could seek approval via a public resolution process, which takes 30 days, rather than go through a full permit application. That period began in early May.
Camelon said the township has the chance to resolve any concerns brought forward during consultation, though noted Transport Canada would get involved if there are any “sticking points” raised.
He said another $10,900 is needed to re-design the project, which was awarded to DM Wills April 28. Once those drawings are complete, and Transport Canada approval received, the bridge can go out to tender. Previous estimates have pegged the modular build at $100,000 to $250,000.
“Hopefully we can award all this work at our June meeting… fingers crossed, the bridge could get done this summer,” Camelon said.
Coun. Pat Casey didn’t want to spend the additional $11,000 on engineering, instead wanting to put the project, centred around the installation of a Bailey bridge, put out for tender. He feels there are companies who would take the build on without the extra spend.
Camelon said, given the project would need to be advertised for two weeks and still have engineering work done, that, going Casey’s route, construction likely wouldn’t be completed this year.
As part of the process, Camelon said DM Wills would be reaching out to vendors to get a firm idea on cost and timelines.
Coun. Barry Boice wondered why the firm didn’t investigate modular options first time around. Camelon said it’s because the township provided clear instructions on what they were looking for, which, at the time, was a like-for-like replacement.
“I feel like the engineers let us down. They should have come up with this solution the first time. They should be looking at ways to save us money, and I think they dropped the ball on that,” Boice said.
After council approved the spend on re-design, mayor Murray Fearrey felt it was a sound investment.
“I think we’re on the right track here. We’ve got to move on this and get something done quickly so that we don’t cut off the two sides of the park,” Fearrey said.
