Attikamek Trail Bridges - Decking and Railing Replacement

The 2.2km Attikamek multi-use recreational trail is location on South St. Mary's Island at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site that has two footbridges (150m and 25m respectively, ~2.5m wide) originally constructed in 1995. Structural inspections (2023) reported that all deck boards are in poor condition and recommended replacement within 1 year. All handrail barriers (top, mid, and bottom kick-rails) should be replaced in less than 2 years. Logistically, it makes sense to replace all components at the same time. Replacing the boards/railings as "like-for-like" with untreated wood will increase user safety while protecting the sensitive wetland features over which these footbridges cross. No work below the High-Water Mark is expected given that the substructures were noted in fair to good condition.

The work is expected to be complete in September - October 2024 with staging areas identified on both North and South St. Mary's Islands. No heavy equipment is permitted on the South Island and only small (i.e., All-terrain) vehicles are allowed with minimal disturbance to the vegetated areas alongside the trails. Visitor access will be restricted at designated points during construction and a communications plan will be developed to notify users in advance.

Latest update

March 20 2026 – Parks Canada issued its Notice of Determination and determined that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Participate

Contacts

Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site
0, Hwy 627
PO Box 212
Heron Bay, Ontario P0T 1R0
Email: ia-NOFU-ei@pc.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site of Canada (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Recreation and Tourism
    • Bridges

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2024-06-25

  • Proponent

    Parks Canada

  • Authorities

    • Parks Canada Agency

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    88667

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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