The Off Lake Road culvert in Chapple recently received funding from the provincial government for its replacement.
Local MPP Greg Rickford was at the Chapple Municipal Office on Wednesday to announce close to $120,000 for the culvert replacement.
“Understand that this is a much-needed project for the road,” he said during the announcement.
The funding is part of the over $400 thousand that was doled out last Wednesday for infrastructure projects in Naotkamegwanning First Nation, Rainy River First Nations and Animakee Wa Zhing 37.
The projects were nominated under the Rural and Northern stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).
Rainy River First Nation received close to $53,000 for a culvert replacement as well.
Meanwhile, Chapple reeve Rilla Race said the culvert rehabilitation in their community was identified as a project of great importance.
“The project for the Off Lake Culvert has been on our radar for a while, it was originally to be a rehabilitation project but after further geotechnical studies it was determined that it should be replaced,” she expalined.
If the culvert was left untouched it would create a larger financial burden on the township and province in the event it substantially deteriorates, Race explained.
“As with all infrastructure it has a best before date and we don’t want to see it deteriorating to the point where it causes problems,” she reasoned.
Race said the township is currently waiting on the federal government to provide the other portion of funding for the project but hopes to have it done sometime next year.
