June 19, 2024

THURSDAY’S ROTARY ROCKS THE BARGE GRAND OPENING POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

GRAVENHURST — It’s not the heat, but the rain that’s postponed Thursday’s 2 p.m. Rotary Rocks the Barge grand opening.

The much anticipated new summer seating by the service club and town was rescheduled at the last minute after sudden “untimely” torrential rains overnight Monday made final landscaping impossible.

Flooding and hill damage made the Gull Lake Rotary Park dedication a washout at the last minute.

A new date will soon be announced for donors and the public to attend.

Heavy rain overnight Monday has forced Rotarians and the town to postpone the opening of amphitheatre seating at Gull Lake Rotary Park Thursday at 2 p.m. Some paving around the stones was able be done. But full sodding and landscaping remains days away. Photo Rotarian Dave Reid.

Sod was finally being laid Wednesday morning after paving was completed around the top level amphitheatre seating finished two weeks ago.

Project chair and Rotarian Dave Reid said “unfortunately due to some very untimely heavy rain, there has been a real issue with washouts that need to be repaired and town works chair Andrew Stacey reached out to me to advise ‘there is no way we can be ready now for our planned opening.’”

The town had the sod contractor there yesterday morning and they were just not able to install the final beautifications to the park.

“Very unfortunate but outside of our control at this point,” he said.

“Ideally, if all works out we can do it next Thursday, July 27. That would be great,” added Reid.

If not, the town is doing a major push to be available for July 1 long weekend.

With cake and Rotarian Steve Rae and his band due to kick things off, “we are anxious to get the revised date and announce it,” Reid said. “Hopefully we will have answers soon.

“Sorry for the inconvenience.”

He added: “On the very positive side of things they did get the paving done Tuesday and they did a tremendous job with it. This company specializes in landscaping paving and you will really be pleased with how they weaved into the stones.