If you’re wondering about all the pylons on the corner of Manominee and Chaffey streets, they’re not the result of a fire hydrant that broke in December; it’s work the Town is doing in conjunction with the District of Muskoka to address safety issues along that stretch.
Huntsville Councillor Brian Thompson, who also sits on the District public works committee, told his fellow councillors at their January 22 meeting that the work is expected to cost about $385,000 with the Town pitching in roughly $105,000.
“I think the salient point is the Town and District are combining on this (project) and I really want to thank Steve Hernen (Director of Operations and Protective Services) for his work in getting this started. This has been a burr in my saddle for a number of years. The way (the retaining wall) was leaning, it was actually dangerous,” said Thompson.
Not only was it unpleasant to look at, but it was actually probably dangerous and I can just envision somebody walking by, pushing their perambulator with a child in it, and the thing falling down or something — I think a horror story waiting to happen. Huntsville Councillor Brian Thompson
Thompson said whenever the issue was raised it became a problem. “It was just this push-back all the time… who is responsible for it, was it the Town or was it the District? And it was the Town’s responsibility for the sidewalks and the District’s responsible for the road, so it was a push-back,” he said, thanking Hernen for breaking the impasse and working with the District to address the issue.
“We’re getting the job done. It’s going to be done right and it’s going to look really, really good,” he said.
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Alan Perry says
The town needs to look at a few more retaining walls that are leaning or have partially come apart, especially in the west end past center st.
Jim Sinclair says
I agree with the retaining walls in the West End being a hazard. But as I see it, it’s the height of the wall with no guard rail on top to protect the people who live on the properties. Prior to the District changing the level of the properties/roadways the lawns all sloped down to meet the walkways. The walls were installed some time ago and I think that if it was me, I would have had to install a railing along the top of the wall to prevent a child or an older person from tumbling over. How come safety does not prevail when it’s the local Government that installs them? Steve? Can you work your magic again??
Brian Tapley says
You build a deck over 24 inches off the ground and you need a mandated railing that looks and acts like a jail but roadside retaining walls and even rock cuts, well they seem to need nothing. I’ve always wondered about this.
Nature does not like vertical steps and gradually turns everything into a gentle slope. With mountains it may take hundreds of millions of years but with Huntsville’s retaining walls it takes about 20 years if you are lucky, less if you cheaped out at the beginning. Unless the wall is built like Hoover Dam they will likely be back building again before 2030 but they do a nice job and it looks good for the first few years. Part of the Job I suppose.