Minnow Lake residents will be able to enjoy safer access to prime city owned waterfront on Ramsey Lake by using a new steel stairway.
The former wooden stairway leading from Portage Street down to the water had become unsafe because people had taken off planks for lakeside fires, said John Lindsay, co-chair of the Minnow Lake Community Action Network (CAN).
“Unfortunately last year folks could not use the beach as much as they would have liked. The young kids could scamper down but when the old stairs were taken down the incline was quite steep,” said Lindsay.
The $40,000 project came in on time and under budget, said Kevin Moxam, manager of parks and recreation.
“We made use of a company from Sturgeon Falls who do a wide number of projects, and also Trow Associates locally to design the structure. They helped keep costs under control,” said Moxam.
The stairway was planned during the winter and construction got underway in April.
“It was finished in about two weeks. Ward 11 Coun. Janet Gasparini made it happen by ensuring it was in the city budget last fall. She contributed $10,000 from her ward funds towards the cost. That made the project possible,” said Moxam.
The stairway gives residents access to about half a kilometre of city owned shoreline along the north shore of the lake, noted Lindsay.
“You can walk directly through towards Bell Park from here. If you want to stay near the stairs, the swimming is safe because it is a gentle slope into the water,” he added.
Coun. Gasparini said her next project is placing a park bench at a lookout area along Howey Drive.
“The view of Ramsey Lake from this elevated position is just spectacular. We will pour a pad for the bench and erect a sign as a Greater Sudbury 125th anniversary celebration project. I hope that work will be completed by the end of the summer,” said Gasparini.
