AH Council Meeting Highlights - September 17, 2026

The following are highlights from the Thursday, Sept. 17 meeting of Algonquin Highlands Council:

• Council approved the removal of two badly damaged sections of the Hawk Lake Log Chute by Hawk River Construction Ltd. at a price of $58,788 plus HST. The log chute was severely damaged by flooding in the spring of 2017, with sections of the structure being swept away by currents in the intervening years. A third section of the chute – the one directly abutting the dam at the site – remains largely intact. 
  
  While the Township had issued a request for proposals for a rehabilitation of the log chute, the lone qualifying bid came back at 200% over the approved budget. Because Council is now in its “lame duck” period, with limits on spending as the end of the term approaches, the call for tenders for the rehabilitation project was cancelled. The re-tendering of the project will be a decision of the incoming Council.
  
  
• Council heard a staff report on options for purchasing or leasing Crown property near Big Hawk Lake for the expansion of public parking along Big Hawk Lake Road. The costs for purchase or lease of the property provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry were much higher than Council deemed reasonable, and the Township will revisit discussions with the Ministry regarding options. Council also approved proceeding with the development of a parking design concept.