Thornbury Pier Deck Replacement | Town of The Blue Mountains, ON

On this page:
1. Project Updates

The Thornbury Pier is a significant waterfront amenity that typically sees large numbers of visitors throughout the summer months for uses such as swimming, fishing, and viewing Georgian Bay. As the pier deck deteriorated, Town staff worked with the owner of the structure, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, to purchase and install matting to cover the surface of the pier and eliminate tripping hazards. This solution worked for many years until high water levels started moving the matting and then ice during the winter season damaged the matting and the edging even further until it was no longer feasible to repair and replace the matting.

Engineering Services were retained and following the report by AECOM in 2020, it was recommended that a full deck replacement take place due to the condition of the deck. After the existing decking is removed, areas under the pier that are void of granular stone will be replaced, conduits will be replaced and minor welding repairs will occur. After a Request For Proposal for the construction was posted in early 2021, the contract was awarded to Brook Restoration Ltd. Construction began on Friday, March 12, 2021.

Why Now?
The Town is working to reconstruct the deteriorated surface of the pier caused by years of high-water levels and ice damage.

Project Updates

September 28, 2021
Construction is complete, and the area has reopened for public use. The Pier will close for the season at the end of October, as weather conditions begin to create unsafe conditions. Regrading and smoothing of the parking area is set to be completed in the spring of 2022.
September 9, 2021
The contractor has completed pouring concrete for the pier surface, and has moved on to installing new ladders and curbs. These features, along with final site clean up, are scheduled to occur over the next two weeks.
August 26, 2021
The rebar has been fully installed at the Pier and the pile caps are being installed this week. Brook Restoration Ltd. will begin to pour the concrete on the week of August 30.
August 12, 2021
The steel work on the pier has now been finalized and granular material is being compacted. The next steps will be the installation of the pile caps and then pouring the concrete. These steps are to be completed within the next couple of weeks.
July 22, 2021
Due to unexpected challenges following the removal of the Pier's concrete decking, the project's budget has faced an increased cost, and is now anticipated to be complete by mid-August 2021. The available drawings for the pier, which was built in the 1930s, showed the concrete pad to be 35.5cm thick. During the demolition process it was found that the decking was approximately 60cm thick, requiring additional removal of materials and labour. Following the removal, the contractor also found significant variances in the height of the sheet piling that extended the entire width of the pier. This required cutting all the steel pilings and now requires welding new steel framing to support the replacement deck component. Due to the significant change in materials and labour required to complete the project, an additional $140,000 was approved by Council on June 28 for the project. The project's reconstruction is estimated to take an additional 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
May 26, 2021
The majority of the concrete has been removed including the detailed removal of the perimeter material along the sheet piling. The steel work has begun which has required modification due to the uneven pilings which were not available to view until the concrete was removed. Project completion is estimated by the end of June.
May 11, 2021
The Town would like to advise residents that Brook Restoration Ltd. has resumed work on the Thornbury Pier Resurfacing Project after a temporary shutdown due to COVID-19 Public Health Protocols. As a result of this unexpected delay, the project is now scheduled to be completed by June 25, 2021.
Notice - Construction Resumes
April 22, 2021
The Town would like to advise residents that the Thornbury Pier Resurfacing Project has been delayed following public health guidance and in response to the required measures to be taken related to COVID-19.
Notice - Construction Delayed
March 11, 2021
The Town of The Blue Mountains would like to advise residents that a contract has been awarded to Brook Restoration Ltd. for the Thornbury Pier Resurfacing project. Construction will begin tomorrow and is anticipated to conclude on May 31, 2021.
Notice - Construction Scheduled to Begin March 12