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Marden Park culverts and retaining wall at risk of failure

Bridge over culverts closed to vehicular and equipment traffic
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Western culvert and retaining wall supporting the bridge over Marden Creek.

MARDEN — Two culverts and retaining wall in Marden Park are falling apart.

Marden Park is divided in two by a creek. These two culverts allow a bridge to rest on top of that creek.

“Overall, the culverts are in poor condition and we would recommended the township replacing them as soon as possible before the deformations progress and potential failure occurs,” says a report to the township's committee of the whole report from Robin Milne, director of parks and recreation.

In 2020, R.J. Burnside and Associates Limited, an environmental and engineering consulting firm, inspected the culverts and found serious problems.

In 2022, Burnside found problems with the culverts and retaining wall.

The western culvert, at 1.8 metres wide and 12 metres long, is deformed. The 'roof' is collapsing. The joints are separating.

The eastern culvert, just beside and parallel to the western culvert, at 1.2 metres across and 12 metres long, is also deformed. The joints are breaking. The retaining wall is forcing part of the culvert to collapse. There are small holes throughout the culvert.

The retaining wall is collapsing at certain points and starting to fail.

Since the culverts are in terrible condition, the bridge over them is not suitable to carry the load of vehicles.

“At the recommendation of Burnside the river crossing has been closed to vehicle and equipment access since 2020 and is currently only used for pedestrian crossing,” the report said.

The township and Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC) applied for multiple grants to cover the cost to remove and replace the culverts. They weren't successful.

The Speed Valley Chapter of TUC had been carrying out work on the Marden Creek to restore the trout population to a sustainable level. This work has being a success with a grown brook trout population.

Now, the township and TUC are applying for the federal government’s natural infrastructure fund to cover the costs of the removal and replacement of the culverts.

Burnside estimated the cost to remove and replace the culverts and do associated engineering design at $344,500.

If the town gets the funding, a second, more indepth report will be made for the council. If the town doesn’t get the funding, staff will look to the council for direction during 2023 budgeting process.

It is believed that replacing the current steel pipe culverts with an open bottom box culvert would align with the efforts to support the trout habitat and population in the creek.

The report from Milne can be read here.

Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.