New fishing pier to begin to take shape (3 photos)

It was another sign that summer is only around the corner. The first prefab section of the new fishing pier to be built on Elliot Lake at Westview Park has just arrived in town.

The size of the single unit is indicative of the eventual scale of the pier.

The first piece is more thank 50-feet long and more than 15-feet wide

It is temporarily perched on.a three-axle float, used to haul it along the highways to Elliot Lake. 

The pier unit sits in the parking lot of Westview Park, awaiting the arrival of more prefab pier sections, heavy equipment and crews of installers who will begin the task.of assembling the long dreamed-of pier built to serve fishers, boaters, sight seers and other water recreation enthusiasts.

It's phase two of the new City of Elliot Lake waterfront project on Highway 108. 

The project is aimed at creating a tourism nodal point on Elliot Lake.

The municipal boat launch dock area on Highway 108 is set for completion during the warm weather months this year.

Elliot Lake's Coordinator of Economic Development, Asthen Vlahovich, says the work will include a pier, finger docks and all boat launching facilities. It entails the installation of a 50-metre fishing pier.

The contract is worth $646,405 plus HST and the contractor is Kropf Industrial Inc., as approved by City Council last year.

In phase one of the project, which was built last year, the original boardwalk was replaced in September 2018, with the construction of a fully accessible floating boardwalk along the shoreline, adjacent to the boat launch. It includes seating and lighting along with non-slip composite decking for improved accessibility. 

The permanent structure extends from the shoreline to provide increased access to Elliot Lake.