The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Wharf will need much more than patching
Wharf in Annapolis Royal will need repairs in coming years even after patches: Engineer
Patching Annapolis Royal Wharf is only part of the equation for its long-term viability as a bigger construction project looms.
Bob Rowe, of Able Engineering Services Inc., recently inspected the wharf with another member of the firm. He told a community meeting on June 8 patches were needed to cover holes in the steel sheet pile walls to keep the gravel and rock, which provide support for the structure, inside the wharf.
But even with those measures taken, the steel walls will need to be replaced down the road. Given that the walls’ thickness went from 7.5 mm to zero in places since the last engineering report was conducted in 2018, Rowe said a bigger project maybe required in five years’ time. It would include replacing the walls, adding some rebar and reinforced concrete plus repacking the rock and gravel under the asphalt deck.
“They’re still going to need to do the long-term fix before too long,” Rowe said in an interview. “There’s been a significant deterioration in the last five years.”
Rowe was asked during the community meeting what such a project would cost and while estimates had not been done, he anticipated it would be more than $1 million. Cost estimates will be part of the firm’s report to the town.
Mayor Amery Boyer said she had three things she wanted to address when she was elected in 2020. They were the possibility of losing a grant in lieu of taxes from Nova Scotia Power, the lack of a strategic plan and sea-level rise.
“After (the community) meeting, I can also add a huge priority, which is the future of that wharf,” Boyer said on June 9. “The information last night was not good.”
But, she added, it was consistent with information from the 2018 engineer’s report and the town could explore applying for grants to help cover some of the costs.
A $1-million project is an expensive endeavour for most municipalities, even more so for a small town like Annapolis Royal with an annual budget of about $2 million.
“It’s a huge asset, recently acquired by the town,” Boyer said of the wharf. “Now the town has to incorporate it into everything else it has to manage, like the sewer system, the water system, every street, every sidewalk. It’s huge for a small town, but it’s important.”
The town has issued a request for expressions of interest in the patching work. A site visit was scheduled for June 23 while the expressions of interest are due by June 30.