Much to the confusion of some Hespeler residents, the lookout over the Mill Pond at Jacobs Landing was removed recently to undergo some much needed maintenance.
According to the City of Cambridge, the wooden lookout was dismantled and sawed off near the concrete footings to make way for a replacement that will be safer for the community.
Without any signs being posted at the site or information in regards to the missing lookout, it left several residents questioning what had happened.
Keith Toby, a long-time Hespeler resident thought something "strange was going on" and took to social media to ask questions.
"Did something serious happen at the Mill Pond Dam, recently!?!" asked a confused Toby in his post. “And the lookout, that still appeared to be solid, was unceremoniously removed as well.”
The wooden deck area was popular for people looking to fish in the Mill Pond, watch birds or just enjoy the view.
“I certainly hope the lookout is going to be replaced as it would be a safety hazard to leave it like this. It has always been a place to gather and fish from. Let's see how long it takes to get replaced,” wrote Sharon Moyer.
Repairs to the lookout are costing the city around $12,000, according to city officials.
“The lookout decking and the support posts were in a poor condition and they were starting to degrade; requiring the rebuilding of the lookout for longer term use,” said Chris Ziemski, manager of parks and recreation operations for Cambridge in an email to CambridgeToday.
Michael Hausser, director of operations for infrastructure services said the repairs will be done and the lookout will be reopened by late November, weather permitting. The newly constructed deck will look similar to the old one with a few updates, he added.
