Planning underway for shoreline improvements, waterfront path in Bright’s Grove

Design work on shoreline protection and a pathway project for a 775-meter stretch of Lake Huron in Bright’s Grove is expected to start in 2024, City of Sarnia officials say.

Article content

“We’ll look to get that out in the next couple of months so we have someone in place before winter,” said engineering and operations general manager David Jackson.

Article content

Getting the design done likely will take all next year, he said.

“Then, being ready to start the first phase of construction in 2025,” he said, noting the estimated $15-million building project, to connect the rest of a Bright’s Grove waterfront trail to the Cull Drain, would likely take several years to complete .

Council in 2022 voted to reaffirm ownership of the 20.4-meter Old Lakeshore Road right-of-way in Bright’s Grove, partially washed away in a 1973 storm.

Passingham Drive neighbors whose properties back onto the right-of-way have built decks and other structures that will be impacted by construction to repair the shoreline and restore public access, and there have been disputes about ownership, but no legal action since council’s decision, Jackson said.

Article content

Monteith and Sutherland have been contracted at $20,000 to update a 20-year-old detailed survey looking at property lines and encroachments, said city construction manager Rob Williams, noting the survey is expected by year’s end.

“So we have a detailed, thorough survey of the property which will help us in future design,” he said.

Design work could cost $80,000 to $100,000, he said.

Meanwhile, other shoreline restoration work this year has included building a $1-million stone groyne at the end of Penhuron Drive, he said, where underwater property was transferred to the city last year.

That Van Bree Drainage and Bulldozing project finished in July, he said.

Another yet-to-be-tendered project—three bids have been received and the low bid is $3.7 million—involves replacing 300 meters of 40-year-old stone revetment, between Penhuron Drive and Kenwick Street that wasn’t placed according to today’s standard and has started to see some failures, he said.

Article content

That project, in partnership with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority and 40 per cent grant funded, also includes replacing two steel groynes, he said.

“The strategy there was we maybe can’t afford stone groynes everywhere, but if we could alternate stone groynes with steel groynes, that should still help with beach growth and help with maintaining some public access,” he said.

Plans are to start in-water work soon and continue during the winter until March 15, he said.

Lower water levels and shoreline repair work in recent years mean only minor emergency repairs were needed so far for shoreline erosion this year, Williams said.

“It’s been good,” he said. “Since 2018 we’ve been able to do a lot of our vulnerable areas.”

Another hybrid — steel and stone — groyne project that was planned for the area around Bright’s Grove elementary school was canceled after costs more than doubled to $1.1 million, he said, noting the hybrid approach was initially about trying to save money on the project.

“It’s an ideal location for a groyne,” he said. “I don’t know when we’ll be proceeding with it though” because of budget.

“The area west of Mike Weir Park is still a pretty high need for us.”

[email protected]

Article content