An enjoyable side quest in Harrison Park that has been off limits since 2023 is a step closer towards re-opening.
Owen Sound’s community services committee approved a recommendation at its meeting Wednesday to move forward with the replacement of Weaver’s Creek Boardwalk, which offers a short winding walk into the woods to an area near the bottom of Weaver’s Creek Falls (Humphries Falls).
The construction option approved is essentially a rebuild of the trail. The two wooden boardwalk sections would be completely replaced, with some structural improvements aimed to enhance longevity. The committee also approved increasing the project budget to $179,000.
City council still needs to formally approve the committee recommendations.
“I think it is a much awaited project. We’ve heard about Weaver’s Creek … I’m glad to see it’s moving forward,” says Owen Sound Councillor and Community Services Committee Member Suneet Kukreja, who moved the recommendation to committee.
The Weaver’s Creek Boardwalk was built in 2003 by the Scenic City Order of Good Cheer. It closed in July 2023 after a tree fell and damaged one of the wooden boardwalk sections. The city decided then the trail would not re-open until the boardwalk could be fully replaced, as there were already safety concerns with other deteriorated sections.
After council formally approves the project, a staff report says next steps in the process for the Weaver’s Creek Boardwalk rebuild will be consultation with Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and permitting with Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. Then the design plan would be finalized and the project would go to tender, before construction commences this summer.
The hope is construction would begin sometime in July, and wrap up by September.
Owen Sound’s Director of Community Services Pam Coulter told committee members the 2024 Harrison Park Master Plan update identified Weaver’s Creek Boardwalk repairs as a high priority.
“We hear from visitors to Harrison Park that they really want this open,” Coulter says.