By Richard Leitner, News Staff

The Crooks’ Hollow Conservation Area’s appearance is being likened to a “war zone” now that the demolition of its dam has received final approval from the Ministry of the Environment and work is underway.

Hamilton Conservation Authority project manager Hazel Breton said she’s hopeful the first phase of the dam’s removal can be completed by the end of March or early April, when fish spawning season begins.

The initial work includes digging a creek channel to bypass the dam, dredging 2,000 cubic metres of sediment from its reservoir, the demolition itself and restoration of Spencer Creek to a meandering route.

About 400 cubic metres of the sediment is expected to be trucked to the Taro dump because of high zinc contamination that can harm small aquatic organisms.

“It all depends on the weather,” Breton told members of the authority’s conservation advisory board.

“The concern about getting late into March would be the spring freshet, which is when we get a lot of spring rains and the heavy runoff. They may pull back from the worksite and let the period go and start up again in July.”

R&M Construction of Acton, Ontario won the contract for the $1.2-million demolition and site restoration work after submitting the lowest of four bids.

Phase two will include installation of a new pedestrian bridge about 30 metres upstream from an existing one and replanting of the creek banks

The area has been closed to visitors since late December.

“I drove by there this afternoon and it’s quite a war zone,” observed advisory board member Dave Robinson, who lives in the area.

“It’s quite a sight to see, with all the heavy equipment in there. Crooks’ Hollow’s never seen anything like it.”

Breton said the project should be able to come in on budget unless there are unforeseen problems in the first phase.

“At this point in time we can’t say we won’t run into problems,” she said. “When you’re working near water it’s very difficult to determine what problems you’re going to run into.”

Built in 1916, the dam and its reservoir served Dundas with potable water until 1959 and provided flood control until the Christie dam took over that function in 1971.

Breton said the project will preserve a remnant portion of the dam on the side opposite Crooks Hollow Road, the cast iron pipe that conveyed water to Dundas, a stop-log hoisting system and nearby wells.

New plaques will also allow visitors to read about the area’s history and key role in Dundas’s early industrial development.