Boardwalk reconstruction work begins
Cobourg Boardwalk under construction. Photo by Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM, LJI
By Cecilia Nasmith, Northumberland 89.7 FM News
Cobourg
Work begins next week on the reconstruction of Cobourg's 20-year-old west beach boardwalk.
The Town of Cobourg announces that the next steps of the waterfront boardwalk replacement will start the week of March 24.
Spanning from Ontario Street to Hibernia, with north-south connections to Ontario, Bagot and Durham streets, the boardwalk was constructed nearly 20 years ago. It was determined to be at the end of its service life, and council approved its reconstruction in 2023.
The ensuing community consultation included a survey and public meeting leading up to a staff report in July 2023 with recommendations. Council approved reconstruction with pressure-treated wood materials for the decking and recycled plastic/composite materials for the substructure. The new board walk will be constructed at grade (non-elevated) and will be widened to 12 feet as per recommendations from the town's Accessibility Advisory Committee.
To reduce costs, the boardwalk is being constructed by town staff at the Public Works yard and will be installed in sections.
The next steps, starting in the coming weeks, will be to have the alignment of the boardwalk marked out with stakes, removing the remaining vegetation and levelling out the ground where the new boardwalk will be installed. Once it is ready to be reopened for public enjoyment, the town will issue an official announcement.
During the design process, an environmental impact assessment was conducted that identified native vegetation that should be transplanted out of the construction zone. In the fall of 2023, under the supervision of Beacon Environmental, this vegetation was moved just outside of the construction area – near its original location but providing enough distance for protection during construction.
For more information, contact the Public Works Division at 905-372-9971.
