Cedar Dunes Shoreline Restoration

completed

The Project consists of the construction of new shore protection structures that will be situated in front of the Cedar Dunes Provincial Park and the West Point Lighthouse. The purpose of the Project is to protect the 450m of shoreline from the expected impacts of climate change and to restore the shoreline to its natural state following massive erosion due to previous storms. The Project is also expected to lessen the flooding in this area that occurs as a result of the erosion. These shoreline protection structures include a 120m sandstone-concrete seawall extension; 5 intertidal reefs; and a terminal sandstone structure at the southern tip of the beach. The addition of these structures will provide the area with the capacity to adapt to the effects of coastal erosion caused by climate change, by providing a barrier between the sand dunes and the impact of waves and increased sea levels, thus helping to keep the dunes intact. Furthermore, these structures help to create areas of calm water where sand can accumulate and not be washed away. The terminal structure at the southern tip of the beach will also help to trap and retain some of the sand traveling away from the shoreline and into the harbor. The accumulation of natural sand will improve the ecosystem of the shoreline and will encourage the growth and stability of the sand dunes, which provide an important buffer against storm-driven erosion. This Project will benefit the community by stabilizing the recreational beach of Cedar Dunes Provincial Park and the shoreline in front of the West Point Lighthouse. Furthermore, by reducing the flooding that affects the access roads and other critical infrastructure in the area, the community, as well as visitors, will have improved access to the popular tourist destinations of Cedar Dunes Provincial Park, and the West Point Lighthouse, which is a Provincially Designated Heritage Place.