A series of storms that doused Oakville in July 2024 left behind plenty of visible damage – most obviously in the form of docks and boats that broke loose from Hilmer Park and washed out to Lake Ontario.
But the high water and current that rushed down the Sixteen Mile Creek also deposited about 9,000 cubic metres of silt in Oakville Harbour.
Removing that silt will come with a price tag of "at least $1.5 million."
The harbour dredging project, expected to be completed before the 2025 recreational boating season, was approved by town councillors at their meeting on Jan. 27.
The silt caused “significant navigational problems” for sailboats through the end of the 2024 boating season, says a report from town staff.
"Unless the silt is removed, many sailboats will not be able to navigate the harbour during the 2025 recreational boating season, especially from late July onwards when lake levels historically drop," notes the report.
Oakville Harbour is typically dredged every 10 years, with the next scheduled dredge expected in the coming two or three years.
Money for the dredging project will come from a taxpayer-funded reserve set aside to deal with unforeseen weather events.