'A symbol for the township:' New Hamburg trade board eyeing waterwheel upgrade
A New Hamburg landmark may soon be getting a facelift.
The old wooden waterwheel at William Scott Park could be replaced with a steel one as the Board of Trade eyes an upgrade.
First built by the New Hamburg Trade Board in 1990, the waterwheel has started showing its age recently and even stopped rotating last year.
"It's around 30 years old, so it is past its life expectancy," said Joe Figliomeni, chair of the Board of Trade's Waterwheel Committee.
The board is proposing a design similar to the original, but the new steel one would generate power.
"It's not going to generate a lot, but if we could get the lights down in the park area lit, that would be great," Figliomeni said.
The group is also suggesting adding an educational component, such as a kiosk, to explain the history and importance of local milling operations.
Figliomeni estimates the cost of upgrading the waterwheel between $200,000 and $300,000.
Some New Hamburg residents who spoke to CTV News said they felt the price tag was too steep, but the trade board says it’s a worthwhile investment.
"We want to sort of capitalize on that and see if we can draw more tourists to the area," Figliomeni said.
For many, the structure is more than just a waterwheel, but an iconic emblem for the community.
"It's a symbol for the Township of Wilmot and New Hamburg in general," Figliomeni said.
The trade board says there will be a fundraising component involved to support the project, but only if the community is on board with the upgrade.
"It's got to be a community project, so we have to have community consensus," Figliomeni said.
The trade board is presenting its plans to council Monday and is asking for feedback from the public.
If approved, the project could start early in the new year with the new steel waterwheel spinning in the park by the end of next summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.