Town to reconsider fixing tower

With a price tag as high as $49,500 to fix up the Lookout Tower at Pither’s Point, the town may not be able to squeeze such repairs into its 2003 budget.
But that doesn’t mean council should give up on preserving the site, which, along with the “Hallett” and Fort St. Pierre, comprises the three tourist attractions at Pither’s Point, Coun. Sharon Tibbs said at Monday night’s council meeting.
“I certainly don’t disagree with the engineering study. But one of the things I was disappointed with [is] it seems things have been left at that,” she remarked.
“That particular tower is the last of its type in Northwestern Ontario. I realize the repairs of the stairs is the major issue, and they’re not up to safety standards,” added Coun. Tibbs.
She suggested the standards perhaps could be reconsidered because the site is a historic one and the stairs are in fact how the original ones would be—steep.
“If anything is done, it won’t be until the 2003 budget process. I was wondering if we could expedite the process. It’s the most popular of the three sites,” noted Coun. Tibbs.
“It may not be Disney World, but it’s something.”
Community Services manager George Bell said he would talk to architects about it. “We want to be very careful the facility is safe,” he stressed.
Council agreed to refer the matter to the Administration and Finance and Community Services executive committees for further discussion.
Mayor Glenn Witherspoon said talking to the Couchiching economic development office about joint funding also would be a good idea.
The Lookout Tower and Fort St. Pierre have been closed indefinitely until necessary repairs are made. The “Hallett” will be closed for the season as it is repainted.
News of the closures, and the need for repairs, came after a study was carried out last month by UMA Engineering Ltd., which cost the town $3,959.
The engineering report for Fort St. Pierre suggested the log palisade, interior walkways, and interior buildings are beyond repair and should be demolished.
It added the guard towers could be repaired and maintained as separate items by themselves for a cost of $15,000.
Likewise, the report said public access to the Lookout Tower should be limited to the main floor until the stairs to the second level can be modified to comply with code limitations.
Roof repairs, and reconstruction of the stairs to be of a decreased slope and with higher guardrails, were two more of the engineers’ recommendations.