The lack of ice along Lake Huron during this mild winter has posed some challenges as work continues along the shoreline in Bright's Grove.
As part of a partnership between the City of Sarnia and the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA), 300 metres of armour stone revetment is being installed along Old Lakeshore Road, between Penhuron Drive and Kenwick Street, in order to protect the waterfront from erosion.
City of Sarnia Construction Manager Robert Williams said the original revetment was built in the '80s and was in disrepair. Two groynes are also being replaced in order to enhance access to the waterfront and promote natural beach development.
"We're building them with steel groynes and they will both have stair access," Williams said.
While workers have enjoyed the warmer temperatures, Williams said dealing with strong wind gusts and waves has been difficult.
"Often we have ice, and ice is really good for us because it provides a working platform for the machines, it also provides protection from the north wind," he said. "When we don't have ice, the north wind can wreak havoc and then we have a lot of bad weather days which we normally wouldn't experience with ice."
Without solid packed ice, working platforms had to be built for machinery, as they're not allowed to be placed in the water.
Williams said crews expect to finish placing rocks beneath the water by the end of this week, then work will continue above the water into the middle of summer.
This aspect of the project started in December 2023.
Williams said the overall project has been done with a focus of 200 to 300 m at a time due to its expensive cost.
The city is responsible for $2.5 million of the $3.9 million project, with the province paying the remainder.
Work was previously completed on the east and west sides of the current site.
"We do have lots of additional work to do further west, west of Mike Weir Park," he said. "We'll be looking at getting some of that ready later this year."
In the meantime, a section of Old Lakeshore Road near Penhuron Drive remains closed.
"We're maintaining access for local residents but we're asking pedestrians and passersby to avoid the area. It is a busy construction site and we are bringing a lot of trucks in and out and it will be that way until we're done," he said. "When we're all done with the project, we do have plans to resurface the road because we're certainly damaging it by doing the work we have."
The contractor is Van Bree Drainage and Bulldozing.