The arrangements are being put in place to reconstruct an important retaining wall in the centre of Hawkesbury.
The Public Works Department has repeatedly identified that the stones are shifting in the retaining wall that holds McGill Street above Hawkesbury Creek between Main and Regent Streets. A 2019 engineering study examined the extent of the shifting of the wall and recommended that it be replaced within the next two years.
Town council met on September 29 and approved awarding the engineering contract for the project, which is worth $54,695 to WSP. The town had already been informed by the Ontario government that it will receive an $824,000 Connecting Link grant for the project because McGill Street is part of the route of Highway 34. Under the Connecting Link grant agreement, the engineering contract had to be awarded before a September 30 deadline or the town risked losing the grant. The total cost of the retaining wall project is estimated to be $1,017,000.
Only the WSP tender was received for the engineering work, but under town procurement policy, council has the right to approve the tender in those circumstances.
The town has prioritized the work due to the deteriorated state of the retaining wall. The reconstruction is to take place from the spring to fall of 2021.
