Windsor Star

Lakeshore waterfront getting $1.4M jetty

- DAVE BATTAGELLO dbattagell­o@postmedia.com

Not only will a new $1.4-million beach area breakwall serve as a safety measure in Belle River, it will also provide a showpiece walkway for people to sit and enjoy views of Lake St. Clair.

Known as the Lakeview Park’s West Beach Jetty, the new structure will be 150 metres in length and replace the existing 25-metre steel breakwall.

“It’s a great thing since the lake is so shallow and swimmers can go far out on the beach,” said Rita Chappell-Arseneault, communicat­ions manager for Lakeshore. “The boats can be there and there is no breakwall to protect them.”

The new jetty will be roughly nine metres in width to separate swimmers from boats or jets skis which will no longer be able to access the closed-off area.

But the project is not just about a new breakwall — it will also feature a walkway with seating “so people can sit out there and really enjoy the lakefront,” Chappell Arsenault said.

“It’s a great enhancemen­t feature for the park,” she said.

Constructi­on has started this week on the project with a scheduled completion date some time next spring, said Nelson Cavacas, director of engineerin­g for Lakeshore.

Facca Constructi­on was awarded the tender for the project.

Town council approved the jetty in August.

“It’s not just for swimming, but an amenity for pedestrian­s and beach users with a walking pier,” Cavacas said. “It’s been wellreceiv­ed by the community and people are looking forward to it being completed.”

Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain said the new jetty will play a big role in completing other previous work completed over the past decade within the waterfront park area, including $3 million in improvemen­ts to the marina, plus adding trails and ponds.

“We have looked at doing this project for a couple of years, but it was a matter of making sure we do the right thing,” he said. “We looked at a number of scenarios and what fit in the best in that waterfront area.

“This will be a great complement to what we already have been doing near the beach front. The jetty will be wide enough where people can walk out, sit and really enjoy the park area. It will also be (handicap) accessible so everyone can enjoy it.”

 ?? JASON KRYK ?? Facca Incorporat­ed crews work in Lakeshore on Thursday as the municipali­ty looks to repair, replace and extend the steel sheet pile jetty that separates Lakeview Park West Beach from the Belle River. The $1.4-million, 150-metre-long pier is expected to...
JASON KRYK Facca Incorporat­ed crews work in Lakeshore on Thursday as the municipali­ty looks to repair, replace and extend the steel sheet pile jetty that separates Lakeview Park West Beach from the Belle River. The $1.4-million, 150-metre-long pier is expected to...

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