At its October 30 General Committee meeting, councillors agreed to set aside funds in the 2025 budget to hire an engineer to do an overall assessment, including an underwater inspection, of the Brunel Locks and provide a 10-year restoration plan for the site.
Tina Scott-Burns, the town’s Manager of Parks and cemeteries, told councillors that the Brunel Locks and park need significant repairs – some a little more urgent than others.
“I really want to stress to council this is a historic park. There is a lot of people that use this park. A lot of people across Canada come here, all over Ontario, and a lot of people, your local Huntsville, Port Sydney… ratepayers, use this park constantly. They’re always here fishing. This is not just a user group, this is not just one individual, this is everybody in the community.”
She said the Locks were made accessible at the top of the park. “A lot of people come to this park, and I can’t stress this enough. This is a main park, just like River Mill Park,” she said. “So [if]we want to see this park stay open and active and operating, we have to start looking at budgeting for this park.”
Huntsville Engineering Technician Brandon Hall warned council that dewatering the Locks, should a deficiency be found, alone could cost about $100,000, based on discussions he’s had with those who have worked on the Port Carling Locks. Although he said staff had conducted a visual inspection when the water was down, and the Locks appeared to be fine, he said he wanted to prepare the council should significant repairs be required.
In terms of repair methods, Hall said staff would consider materials that would preserve the Locks’ heritage look but provide more longevity than, say, wood.
The engineering assessment is expected to cost about $40,000. Councillor Monty Clouthier asked whether grants from other levels of government were available. Scott-Burns said she is looking into that. Deputy Mayor Dan Armour suggested that the Port Carling Locks are looked after by the District and that perhaps the Brunel Locks could be as well. “I think part of the criteria for a lock system to be run by the District [is]it has to serve more than one municipality.” Armour said the Brunel Locks serve not just Huntsville but Lake of Bays as well.
Huntsville CAO Denise Corry said she has had a similar conversation with District CAO Julie Stevens and was told at the time that the Brunel Locks would not qualify because it would have to serve multiple municipalities. Corry said she would follow up once more.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald said, “I think it’s fantastic that we’re coming up with a ten-year plan to see what’s required. As far as the engineer’s report, no one is qualified to make any assessment other than an engineer… we assess our playgrounds on a regular basis, that’s how much we have a responsibility to our community members here.” He said he does not think the Town has a choice. “It’s really interesting how the locks are set up in Muskoka. Some are owned by Infrastructure Ontario, and some are owned by District…we own this one, so it’s our baby, and we have to take care of it.”
You can find staff’s report HERE.
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Rebuild if found necessary but for goodness sake do it with wood and keep it manually operated. It’s history!
Allen Markle says
In 1873 the Dept. of Agriculture and Public Works assigned $20,000.00 for the building of a ‘lock’ to bypass the rapids leading into Fairy Lake. Captain Denton was building the steamer “Northern’ in Port Sydney. Water travel was coming to our local Lakes.
The locks were finished and the river dredged for the new boat. The ‘Northern’ steamed through in 1876. The new lock created a full time (seasonal) job for the opening and closing, and in the Forester of Oct. 22, 1877 there is a poem describing the job done by Mr. Philip Shay, the first lockmaster.
The locks is an important part of the history of our town. It gave travelers a way to town without the back-breaking, jarring ride in a cadge wagon. Heavier machinery could be brought easier and cheaper by boat.
There have been a lot of modifications and rebuilds during the nearly 150 years of the ‘locks’. What we see today isn’t what the ‘Northern’ steamed past. From timber to hammered clay and rock to concrete, every rebuild was meant to modernise and add life to the old workings.
I’m not adverse to using what’s needed to make the structure sound and solid. Just keep it so it works and looks ‘period’. And Mike Pratt, there are more than a few of us who grew up here have taken a turn lifting those valves and pushing those big gates open.
Back in the day, it was fun.