Excavation and a food truck are happening at Confederation Park on Île du Chenail in Hawkesbury this summer, but no paddleboard rentals.
On Monday, April 14, Hawkesbury town council awarded the contract for work to prevent further erosion along the Ottawa River shoreline on Île du Chenail.
Four bids were received on March 27, and staff recommended awarding the contract to Arnco Construction and Excavation, for the sum of $237,247.00 excluding sales tax.
The project was identified in the 2025 municipal budget. The work will involve installing riprap along the island’s shoreline to prevent further erosion and preserve the integrity of the soil on site.
Councillor Yves Paquette is pleased the work is going ahead.
“It is long overdue,” he remarked.
Due to the erosion control excavation being done at Confederation Park in Hawkesbury this summer, the O’Shack is no shack, but visitors to the popular waterfront area will be able to purchase something to eat from a food truck.
On Monday, April 14, Hawkesbury town council received a report from Recreation Director Genevieve Goulet explaining that the O’Shack, which normally offers rentals of paddleboards, kayaks, and similar equipment each summer, will not operate this season because of the construction site in the area.
The work is scheduled to begin on July 28 and continue through to November 2025, which means the O’Shack would only have been able to operate for a few weeks. As a result, the Recreation Department decided to suspend the operations of the O’Shack entirely for the 2025 season. A review of the O’Shack’s operations will be carried out during the winter of 2026 following the receipt of the new Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
Meanwhile, a food truck will be open for business at Confederation Park this summer. On April 14, approved a recommendation to allow Hawkesbury-based Bob’s Food Fest to operate one of its trucks at the park. A bylaw permitting the Director of Recreation to issue up to six permits for food trucks operating in town limits for more than 10 days was adopted by council in 2024.
An agreement between the town and operator of the food truck will be signed for use of infrastructure, drinking water and electricity. The corresponding fees will be billed at a monthly rate of $500.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois was pleased there will finally be a food truck for visitors to Confederation Park.
“I’m very happy this is happening because it has been discussed over the years,” she said.
