GINOOGAMING FIRST NATION — Major upgrades are coming to a regional First Nation.
Ginoogaming First Nation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday to mark the beginning of the first phase of their roadway and drainage rehabilitation project.
Henry Waboose, Ginoogaming’s band governance manager, told Dougall Media this project has been in the works for about six years.
“Everything kind of came together to get it done,” he said.
Waboose described pools of water accumulating in ditches, overflowing onto the roads, causing widespread erosion and creating incredibly unsafe driving conditions.
He said this rehabilitation project is absolutely necessary to maintain the integrity of Ginoogaming’s roads and infrastructure.
“That cleans up and saves the roads. All the water is away,” he said.
The project is a joint venture between Ginoogaming, the Miller Group, and engineering consultants from EXP.
Waboose said it’s a “tri-party” partnership wherein all groups involved must come to a consensus before moving forward on matters related to the project.
“If you don’t speak up, you don’t get that kind of partnership,” he said.
“(Chief) Sheri’s trying to be proactive in that way.”
In a statement released to the media, Chief Sheri Taylor expressed her excitement about these much-needed upgrades and what they mean for her community.
“These improvements will ensure water flows out and away from the community, safeguarding roads and homes and other facilities. It’s about protecting our current and future assets,” Taylor said.
The ground-breaking for this project comes just over a month after Taylor’s comments during a press conference held by Premier Doug Ford in Greenstone.
There, Taylor expressed the need for more support from all levels of government and highlighted Ginoogaming’s failing infrastructure.
The rehabilitation project – focused on a seven kilometre stretch of roadway and drainage systems – will be completed in two phases. The first phase includes the installation of new culverts, and new ditching, reshaping, and grading of roadways, with the second phase of resurfacing, paving and topping to follow.
Waboose noted that a walking lane / path will be added alongside the newly paved road to make things as safe as possible for community members travelling through.
Funding for the project - which is set to cost around $4 million - is shared between Ginoogaming First Nation and Ontario's ministry of agriculture, food, and rural affairs.
The Miller Group will be tackling construction in addition to providing job opportunities for band members from Ginoogaming.
Waboose said, depending on weather and timing, the Miller Group might even begin some early resurfacing in late September.
Otherwise, he said, they will resume work in June 2025; construction is expected to finish that same year.
