Community Update: Update on Construction Contractor beginning

 

June 13, 2018 – Parks Canada’s project to replace the Bobs Lake dam has advanced to the construction phase.  On June 1st the contractor began to deploy equipment and to establish their construction site. 

With the basic footprint established, the site will see minimal activity for the next two weeks until the contractor returns to construct the access road and remainder of the construction site. Construction at the in-water location of the new dam is anticipated to begin the first week of July.

Parks Canada thanks all residents, partners, and community members for their contributions throughout the preparation and design phases of this project. 

Public Information Forum

Parks Canada will be presenting information about this project at a forum hosted by the Greater Bobs and Crow Lakes Association (GBCLA).  This session will take place on Saturday June 16th at 1030am at the ABC Hall, 3166 Bolingbroke Rd, Maberly, ON. For more information about the forum please contact the GBCLA at http://bobsandcrowlakes.ca/contact. 

Construction Site and Private Property

The replacement of the Bobs Lake dam is an important project and there has been tremendous interest amongst residents and visitors to the area.  Parks Canada will continue to provide regular updates on progress as well as photos to meet the desire for information.  Construction sites can be dangerous places without the appropriate safety gear and precautions.  For this reason, unauthorized access to the construction site is strictly prohibited and can result in fines, serious injuries, or worse.  Parks Canada respectfully asks that all posted signage be respected throughout this important project.

Additionally, the sites of the existing and future Bobs Lake Dams are only accessible by land by crossing private property. Parks Canada has secured an agreement with the landowner in order to facilitate construction and to operate the dam going forward.  This agreement does not extend to public access to the dam. Please respect private property and do not attempt to access the dam without the expressed permission of the land owner.

Replacement of the Bobs Lake Dam at Bolingbroke

Due to poor quality rock at the current dam site, the new dam will be located approximately 40m upstream. This new location is between the site of the 1870s era dam and the current dam built in the 1930s.

The new dam will not alter the water management strategy for Bobs Lake. Furthermore, throughout the construction of the new dam plans will accommodate Parks Canada’s water management requirements and residents should not experience any significant change in water levels due to construction. 

The replacement of the Bobs Lake dam is part of Parks Canada’s unprecedented $3 billion dollar investment over 5 years to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada. These historic investments will mitigate health and safety risks, halt the loss of nationally significant built heritage and stimulate the economy in communities across the country.

About Bobs Lake Dam at Bolingbroke 

Dams have existed on Bobs Lake at Bolingbroke since at least 1821. In 1870 the dam site was purchased by the Government of Canada in order to enhance the size of the reservoir for the Northern Sector of the Rideau Canal. In 1871 the dam was significantly increased in size and the volume of water in Bobs Lake was raised considerably. The current dam has been in place since 1930 and has seen several major repairs over the course of its operation. 

For More Information:

For up-to-date news on infrastructure work along the Rideau Canal, please visit our website: www.pc.gc.ca/rcInfrastructure. If you would like to be added to our community engagement list and receive updates on this project, please e-mail RideauCanal.info@pc.gc.ca and include "Bobs Lake Dam" in the subject heading.