C-19-0927 - Recreation Bay Restoration Project

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The objective of the proposed project is to improve the shoreline of Recreation Bay for the Kahnawà:ke community, by restoring wildlife habitat and enhancing access to the bay for the community. The project is located in Kahnawà:ke, QC. The unnatural shoreline on both sides of Recreation Bay forms a narrow strip of about 10 to 30 m wide between the water and an existing bike path. Bank slopes on both sides were constructed with excavated rock and clay from the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway channel. The proposals for shoreline restoration are summarized as the creation of two natural zones, the first being a turtle nesting ground and the second a stream and marsh.

The first natural zone is located at the western end of Tekakwitha Island, between the wetland and the marina. The natural zone will consist of a marsh, a turtle nesting ground, a scrubland (plant community composed mostly of shrubs without distinction of the genus or species) and a scrubland with scattered trees. The western end of the area (50 m wide) will remain untouched, since staghorn sumac is also considered a medicine, used traditionally by the community.

The second natural zone is located in the center of Tekakwitha Island, along its south shore, just east of the wetland. The main goal of this natural zone consists of creating four types of wetland, namely marsh, wet meadow, shrub swamp, and a linear pond that will be located where the ancient channel flowed between two original islands prior to the construction of the navigation channel.

SCOPE OF WORK

The work includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the supply of labour, material, supervision and equipment to perform the following tasks:

• Construct a marsh approximately 735 m2 in size
• Construct a turtle nesting ground
• Install rock shelters in the scrubland
• Construct a wetland (linear pond, marsh, wet meadow and shrub swamp) approximately 16,510 m2 in size
• Construct a terrestrial habitat approximately 6,590 m2 in size
• Remove two populations of European reed (Phragmites)
• Seeding and planting