As part of the Harbour Street Watermain Extension Project, a portion of the Georgian Trail will be temporarily closed to accommodate periodic rock blasting between March 13 and 27, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Trail users are reminded to use caution and abide by all trail closure and detour signage on affected trails.
Affected Trails
- Georgian Trail from Tenth Line to Black Ash Creek
- Harbour Street Trail
- Stynie Trail
- Alternate routes: Tenth Line Trail, Eleventh Line Trail
About the Project and Rock Blasting
The Harbour Street West Watermain Extension Project includes an excavation and trench preparation component for the installation of a watermain. Due to shallow bedrock, rock removal, including drilling and blasting, is required to achieve proper trench depths and grades. Rock blasting is the controlled use of explosives to fragment rock and is a common and efficient method for large-scale rock excavation. This practice is commonly used in the civil engineering industry, when encountering large volumes of rock removal.
Warning signs will be posted at entrances to affected areas, and a blasting siren will be sounded prior to blasting, in accordance with Ontario Provincial Standards Specification Municipal 120. Blasting siren procedures are as follows:
- 3 short sirens will be sounded when explosives are loaded.
- Blast mats are placed.
- 1 Minute wait.
- 1 long siren to indicate that blasting is imminent.
- An all-clear siren will be sounded to indicate blasting is complete.
Rock blasting will occur Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., March 13-27, 2026. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation.