Contract awarded for Holland Marsh Drainage Improvement project
News
Posted By Miriam King
Posted 2 months ago
A landowner on Bernhardt Road within the Holland Marsh was recently charged by the Ministry of Natural Resources, for dumping skids and lettuce crates in the Holland River.
The charges highlight a problem that has come to light as the Holland Marsh Drainage System Joint Municipal Services Board prepares to move forward with work on Holland Marsh drainage improvement scheme. Among the problems discovered: Landowners who build structures on the berm, and who dump pallets and spoiled produce in the canals and river.
In Bradford West Gwillimbury Council, June 15, Mayor Doug White said only a small minority of landowners create the problems – warning that notices of violation will be sent out, and enforcement stepped up. "We're going to make sure that those that have been getting away with this nonsense, will no longer be getting away with this."
It is particularly important now that the Joint Municipal Services Board has awarded the contract for the first half of the canal reconstruction/relocation/dredging project to Daniel Higgs Excavating Lt. and Higgs & Higgs Inc., with work slated to begin after the July 1 holiday.
Although 23 contractors expressed interest in the project, described as "the biggest drainage project in Ontario," and 8 were pre-qualified to submit tenders, only two bids were received.
Chair of the Joint Municipal Services Board John McCallum noted that the winning bid was submitted by the company that carried out the trial work last year, along Hwy. 9, and therefore was familiar with the area. "It was very obvious in the second bid, they had built in a significant safety net for themselves," said McCallum.
The winning bid was $3,375,712 for approximately 50% of the tree-clearing and excavation work. The contract does not include bank restoration, bridge replacements, irrigation works, or fish shocking to remove fish from areas of the canals under construction.
"We're very pleased. We're very close on our numbers," McCallum said, adding, "It's a monumental occasion that we've got this far."
Drainage superintendent Frank Jonkman Jr. noted that the Drainage Engineer had originally proposed dividing the canal project into 18 segments and 18 contracts, to be administered over a 7 year period. "It would have been a logistical nightmare," Jonkman said.
Instead, the work has been split into two contracts, with a projected 4-year completion. Contract #1, from the Graham Sideroad to Hwy. 9, and 9 to the 400, should be completed by September 2012. A contract for the second half of the construction work will be awarded at a future date.
As for the violation notices, the Drainage Superintendent warned landowners in the Marsh that both MNR and the Conservation Authority feel that "people have taken the liberty of entitlement." Not only will they be enforcing their rules and regulations, the whole area will be "under a microscope," looking for possible violations, he said.
