Repairing a lifeline at Canyon County Resort
The West Hants Regional Municipality is going to bat for residents of a bare land condominium property that are facing a hefty repair bill due to a bridge washout in 2023.
Alex Crocker, the treasurer of the board of directors for Canyon Point Resort in Vaughan, outlined to council in March the infrastructure failure they experienced during the July 22-23 storm and the challenges residents are now facing.
“The former bridge itself was a single-lane roadway, 20-foot span, galvanized steel bridge,” said Crocker.
In the spring of 2023, the bridge was examined by an engineering firm to determine its longevity. He said structurally, it was intended to have an indefinite service life as long as there was proper maintenance, like replacing timber and asphalt.
When flash flooding occurred in July, wreaking havoc throughout the province, the resort residents found themselves stranded – some unable to leave, others unable to get to their properties.
“The bridge was determined unsalvageable and a total loss,” he said.
Within days, a temporary laneway was constructed to allow residents a way in and out of the community, as well as access for emergency services.
Canyon Point Resort opened in 2005 and has 59 homes, of which half are considered full-time residences. Condo fees that are paid by property owners go towards upkeep, which includes the entrance bridge that links to Pioneer Drive.
Crocker said when the bridge collapsed during the height of the summer, there were about 250 people affected. He said during the winter months, there would normally only be between 50 and 60 people affected.
Work got underway to receive the necessary government approvals to replace the bridge. Then on Feb. 29, heavy rain combined with the spring thaw resulted in the temporary laneway becoming flooded and impassable, highlighting the urgency of getting the project done.
“We had about 30 people that were sort of trapped on the other side of the temporary
get laneway and we had to
immediately some repair work done so it could be made for safe passage,” he said.
Crocker provided photos and a timeline to council, outlining the situation and asking for assistance.
MUNICIPAL HELP
In an April 2 letter to Premier Tim Houston and MLA John Lohr, the Emergency Management Office minister, Mayor Abraham Zebian requested the province reconsider the amount it provided in disaster relief to the residents of Canyon Point Resort.
“It is our understanding that Canyon Point Resort made an application to the Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program for financial assistance to facilitate critical repairs and were successful in receiving $77,966,” Zebian wrote.
“High-level replacement costs of this bridge are projected to be in the $650,000 range, leaving residents responsible to finance the balance of repairs themselves. Without financial assistance, residents could be forced to pay in excess of $9,000 or more per residence, causing significant financial hardship to many of the homeowners in the community.”
On behalf of the municipality, Zebian asked Houston and Lohr to review the application and authorize Canyon Point Resort to receive the full $200,000 payment from the DFA program to assist with the bridge replacement.
At the March 26 council meeting, the CAO was also directed to waive all building and development fees relating to constructing the replacement bridge. Additionally, the CAO was asked to contact GFL to request the company waive the fees associated with the removal of the bridge and debris.
MOVING FORWARD
During Crocker’s March 12 presentation, he noted time was of the essence to get the bridge installed. He said Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a permit requiring the bridge replacement and all associated work to be completed by the end of 2025.
The window of opportunity to work in, on, or around waterways in Nova Scotia is narrow, with work only permitted between June 1 and Sept. 30.
Crocker noted the bridge components must be ordered before construction can begin, with at least 30 per cent of the cost being paid up front, and
construction the balance owing once begins.
He said the community is in the detailed design phase now after hiring Design Point Engineering as the consultant.
When asked if a fire truck could use the temporary laneway in the interim if there was an emergency, Crocker said the deputy chief of the Southwest Hants Fire Department in Vaughan reviewed it, noting it would be “a tight squeeze” but didn’t have any particular hesitation with getting fire apparatus across the laneway.