Niagara Parks replacing sections of breakwall, planning for shoreline protection

Niagara Parks is continuing to replace broken sections of the breakwall in Fort Erie, a project started in 2020.

Work resumed in 2023 with a $1.3-million budget focused on sections north of the Peace Bridge, including trail realignment, said Ron Carpenter, director of capital works and engineering for Niagara Parks.

“The goal is to restore all fallen sections, addressing the impacts of increased extreme weather events,” he said in a statement to Fort Erie Radio.

To improve the resiliency of the shoreline and adjacent parklands, Niagara Parks has engaged a coastal engineering firm to develop an alternative shoreline protection solution that also supports aquatic fish habitat, he explained.

“Based upon this alternative design, phased implementation of new shoreline protections is being implemented over the next several years,” said Carpenter.

Recent studies, including storm analysis and underwater mapping, show that improved shoreline protection in high-impact areas will significantly reduce environmental damage.

The project was awarded to Rankin Construction through an open public tender. The first phase, north of the Peace Bridge, was completed in 2023, and work is now progressing southward.

Looking ahead, there are additional funds planned for repairs and shoreline protection in 2025-26, pending approval, said Carpenter.

Construction timelines are subject to Department of Fisheries and Oceans restrictions and approvals related to environmental concerns and fish habitats, he added.

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