A popular amenity at Harrison Park in Owen Sound will remain closed until it can be replaced, and the city is looking for partners to help finance the project.
Weaver’s Creek boardwalk has been closed since a tree fell down last month and damaged some railings and part of the walkway. And Owen Sound’s manager of parks and open space Adam Parsons says the popular pathway won’t re-open until it can be fully replaced, as the boardwalk was already in a deteriorated state that led to some safety concerns.
The boardwalk is a wooden walkway that starts near the Harrison Park pool and twists into the forest along the running water, until walkers settle at the end with a view of Weaver’s Creek falls.
“It’s certainly an attraction. The city promotes it through waterfalls tours. And when you’re in the park, frequently one of those questions is ‘how do we get to Weaver’s Creek?'” Parsons explains. “We know that it is attracting people to Harrison Park from the community and from outside the community. And certainly it’s an asset we’d love to get back online.”
Parsons estimates the boardwalk will cost around $100,000 to replace and the city has included funding for half of that in its 2024 capital plan, but needs a partner to finance the rest before the project can proceed.
The boardwalk was originally established through a community led grant-funding project, and Parsons says the city is hopeful other local groups can come forward to help with its replacement too. It won’t re-open until that happens.
“Whether it’s a service club or another entity that can help us with that,” Parsons says. “There are also sometimes grant opportunities through service clubs and community organizations that the city is not allowed to apply for.”

Photo credit Matt Hermiz