Port Hope residents may have noticed a now familiar structure disappearing from the Port Hope Harbour this summer. The large circular wave attenuator, which has been part of the waterfront landscape throughout the harbour cleanup project, has now been removed. This is the latest change in the area, along with the removal of several barges and equipment.
With cleanup work in the harbour completed, the wave attenuator is no longer needed. Its removal is another visible sign that this important environmental cleanup project is entering its final stages.
Installed as part of Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) activities in 2017, the wave attenuator helped create calmer water conditions in the harbour while crews carried out dredging and sediment removal work. Designed to reduce the impact of waves from Lake Ontario, along with a turbidity curtain, it played a key role in allowing cleanup activities to be completed safely and efficiently. The attenuator also prevented large aquatic life to enter the inner harbour.
This PHAI site has been very visible in the community as work took place amidst the busy Port Hope waterfront where anglers can be seen every day of the year and beaches are enjoyed by both our residents and tourists alike. As a vibrant, active community, the completion of the cleanup in this area of town has been long-anticipated.
The harbour cleanup has been one of the most significant and complex parts of the PHAI. Over the past several years, crews have removed contaminated sediment, debris and a few cars from the harbour. These materials were safely transported to the Port Hope Long-Term Waste Management Facility for secure, long-term storage. In addition to removing contaminated materials, the project included improvements to the harbour walls and restoration work on the pier that will help support future community use of the waterfront.
With the harbour now cleaned up, applications are in process for the area to be removed from the Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
To learn more about ongoing project activities and updates, visit phai.ca.
