Concerns raised over man-made island in the Grand River

An island has appeared in the middle of the Grand River but it’s not a natural formation.

Residents who live along the water in Galt say the man-made structure has been growing for weeks.

They’ve seen at least two people gathering rocks from the banks of the Grand River, wade through the water and stack them up in a pile.

The mound is big enough that someone has also added a wagon and Canadian flag on top.

One resident told CTV News she first spotted the man-made island about three weeks ago and has seen bonfires there. She also shared video of two people stacking stones.

The man-made island (left) and video stills of two people seen stacking stones in the Grand River. (Submitted)

The woman thinks the island should be disassembled.

She worries that it would set a dangerous precedent.

“Grown men out there, doing something that’s needless, silly and dangerous,” she said. “I don’t want my tax dollars spent saving somebody who’s out there doing a foolish act and then they slip and fall and are taken down the river. If kids see that little island over there, who’s to say they won’t try to get across.”

The woman said she’s already contacted Waterloo Regional Police and was told that they are working with the Grand River Conservation Authority to resolve the situation.

CTV News also reached out to police but they did not respond by our deadline.

The GRCA, in an email statement to CTV News Wednesday morning, said: "The GRCA is aware of the small rock island being built and have been in contact with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, the City of Cambridge, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources Aylmer District Office. We continue to keep an eye on the small artificial island as part of our routine dam inspections and as part of our flood management role; however, in this specific instance, the GRCA does not own that section of the riverbed."