Silver Lake construction project set to wrap-up in new year
The completion date of a multi-million dollar construction project at Silver Lake in Waterloo Park has been pushed back further after it was supposed to be finished this past summer.
One Laurier student who has frequently visited Waterloo Park for as long as she can remember, isn’t pleased by the news.
“We do come here quite often. I came to the splash pad when I was little, and we would always come to the little Christmas fair,” said Ella Annis. “It’s been a little bit of an issue for my friends. I just because we try to take a break from our school work, and come on our walks but a lot of the park has been restricted right now.”
The three phase project at Silver Lake started up three years ago to see Laurel Creek restored, the lake cleaned out and rehabilitated and the north and south shores revitalized.
Pedestrian features are now visible in some areas, including the LRT deck expansion and boardwalk structure. But construction continues along the north shore with the goal of rehabilitating the park.
“We’re just finishing things up, but there’s a new plaza area that’s centered around a central fountain feature, new lighting, just bringing the park up to a more usable and all-inclusive space,” said Caroline Amyot, senior project engineer with the City of Waterloo.
But Amyot says construction crews dealt with some setbacks, one of which was COVID supply chain delays.
“We are planning to wrap things up hopefully before Christmas and have the fences down to open up some areas.”
In January 2022, the revitalization hit another setback after the previous contractor failed to meet the safety standards of the boardwalk building contract.
Waterloo City Council approved the budget for the project, set at over $7 million.
“The project obviously isn’t finished, and we’re still working through matters, so at this point, we’re still working towards that council approved budget,” said Amyot.
After the revitalization of the north shore, the city says their main focus for the Spring will be landscaping.
“There will be some finishing up to do in the Spring with some landscaping as well as some lighting. The main fountain feature will need to be opened up officially in the Spring, so there’s still some work to do, but it won’t require the park to be shut down,” explained Amyot.
Meantime, Annis is looking forward to the full re-opening of the park.
“I am definitely hoping so just so we can have the park for our mental health and just going on nice walks, especially as the weather gets warmer,” she said.
Fencing will remain up with no public access to the north shore until the teaming work is completed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.