Plans to rehabilitate a portion of the Hawk Lake log chute have been put on hold.
During a Sept. 17 meeting, Algonquin Highlands council approved the removal of two badly damaged sections of the log chute at a cost of just under $60,000. According to officials, the timing of the removal will depend on when Parks Canada is able to facilitate a temporary stoppage of water through the dam at the site.
A third section of the chute- adjacent to the dam- remains largely intact. At council’s request, staff had issued a request for proposals for rehabilitation work on this portion of the log chute with a budget of $93,000.
“I feel very strongly about the log chute, I confess to that,” said Mayor Liz Danielsen at a meeting in February. “It is an important cultural asset and we don’t have an awful lot of them. Certainly it is unique in its nature, and I believe it was recently named one of the seven wonders of Haliburton County.”
According to staff, the lone qualifying bid came back 200 per cent over budget.
With council in a “lame duck” period due to the upcoming election, and spending limits in place, tenders for the rehabilitation project have been cancelled. The project will be a decision for the incoming council.
