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St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) is pleased to confirm that the seawall construction at Brown’s Bay Beach is complete.

This is part of a multi-year project to revitalize Brown’s Bay Beach on the Thousand Islands Parkway in Mallorytown, Ontario, the first step in planned upgrades to all parks, fulfilling strategic objectives set out in SLPC’s new strategic plan, Strengthening our Foundation for a Sustainable Future (2021-2026).

The new seawall is made of beautiful cut limestone, arranged in step formation with large flat tops perfect for sitting and includes a barrier-free ramped entry point to the water.

The next projects in this phase include a new septic system and a new canteen/washroom/changeroom, improving the look and function of the facilities and bringing them up to today’s standards, including a more inclusive washroom design.

As part of site preparation for the demolition and construction of these projects, archaeology and heritage studies are required under the Ontario Heritage Act.

These are independent assessments that follow a prescribed schedule.

The archaeology and heritage studies for Brown’s Bay have been ongoing for the past month and ground disturbance is not permitted until they are completed.

While these assessments are continuing, the areas still to be assessed are not areas critical to construction, which will soon be permitted in key areas so project progress will not be impacted.

As these studies have been happening on-site, SLPC staff and the project team have been working to finalize the new canteen/washroom/changeroom design which will be going out for construction tender in August.

The revitalization project is making steady progress through the project plan. This is not always obvious on the construction site because not all line items on the project plan yield visual results.

As announced in April, the park is scheduled to be closed all season for this construction, with a re-opening planned for the 2023 season.

When complete, the newly restored park will be an asset the community can be proud of and a bigger draw to bring people – and tourism dollars – into the area.