Ready to rock
Municipal councillor, MLA want project completed
CBRM councillor says more armour stone is needed to stop erosion at Dominion beach.
Dist. 10 Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger wants a rock solid plan to complete the provincial government’s project at Dominion Beach that started a few years ago.
The Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor said phase one of a three-phase plan included constructing a berm to protect the beach from erosion and that work took place in the spring of 2013.
However he says nothing else has been done.
“Phase 2 and Phase 3 were suppose to have continued and dollars were allotted for it but (the work) just stopped,” he said.
The $1.5 million set aside for Dominion Beach was to be used to build a berm as well as move the utilities building to the far upper corner of the parking lot and replace the boardwalk with a gravel walkway.
Bruckschwaiger said construction of the berm in the main area at the beach has helped with the erosion.
“That was about five years ago and we’ve had some terrible storms since then,” he said.
He said before the berm was built the aftermath of a storm would leave sand in the parking lot and the utility building surrounded by water.
“Without that berm it would all have been gone no question about it. It would have been washed away by now.”
He believes the priority at the beach should be a continuation of the rock wall.
“If they make it down to the bridge it will protect that area of the beach then people can continue to walk the beach to the bridge and around the loop,” he said.
“If they build that wall up it will stop the washout. If that section of the beach is lost we’ll lose the highway there. “
Bruckschwaiger said he has spoken to David Wilton, MLA for Cape Breton Centre, as well as the Minister of Natural Resources Lloyd Hines, who has indicated he’s going to come and see the beach. Wilton said he has talked to Bruckschwaiger about this project and he expects to meet with Hines on Wednesday.
“We’re going to talk about how much money is needed and what kind of phases to keep it going.”
He then hopes to arrange a public meeting to include officials from the Department of Natural Resources.
At this point Wilton said the priority needs to be the continuation of the berm along the beach.
“With the department involved that’s our ultimate goal.”
Then he said they’ll have to look at building either a gravel walkway or a boardwalk.
“It seems the public wants more of a boardwalk. They don’t want a gravel walkway.
“I think it’s important we have some public input on this too as there are some citizens in the area concerned of how it’s deteriorating toward the Lingan Bay as well.”
In 2016, $87,000 was spent to upgrade the utility building at the beach which houses washrooms, a change room and showers.
Wilton said the plan to move it to higher ground was put on hold.
“Half of this phase is done, all that’s left is the movement of the building.”
He said there is a hold on that as it’s being reviewed again to determine the best place for it to be situated.
“We need to have some consultation with the public and the engineers to find out what has been taking place the last couple of years.”
Wilton said he has discovered that the beach is a popular destination for many people.
“I was there last summer, thousands of people still use it. It’s a tourist attraction, it’s really important we do what’s right for that beach and for Dominion.”