Water tower work commences in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation

July 24, 2018
Work is starting on a water tower in Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. L to R: Shawn Gray, T. W. Gray Engineering Sarnia; Holly Pearce, Indigenous Services Canada; Todd Hodgins, K & L Construction, London; Nelson Oliveira, Stantec Consulting; Kettle and Stony Point Chief Tom Bressette.

By Colin Graf

CHIPPEWAS OF KETTLE AND STONY POINT FIRST NATION—Work is starting on a water tower to provide for safety and future development in Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation, on the shores of Lake Huron, north of the city of Sarnia.

The tower, hoped for by the First Nation for nearly 20 years, has been in the works since 2006, says Chief Tom Bressette. The project will correct a dangerous situation at the locally-run Hillside School, he says. Presently, there isn’t proper fire-fighting capacity at the school, and if fire occurred, “we could probably just watch our school burn down,” Chief Bressette says.

A school fire “would get water” now, but full pressure and quantity to fight a fire properly will only be in place when the $4.2 million tower and booster station are completed, says engineer Nelson Oliveira of Stantec.

The new water tower will provide for future growth, says Chief Bressette.  A new subdivision, Eagle’s Landing, is about to be built on the land near the water tower, and since the water system is “nearing capacity” now, the tower is essential, says Chief Bressette.

“The infrastructure we’ve needed for a long time is now being added so that people can move back home.  They should have no fear about moving back home now,” he says.

The new tower is being built with money earmarked by the Trudeau government in the last federal budget for infrastructure development on First Nations, Chief Bressette says.

“We’ve had to continuously lobby the government, we’ve been put on hold before,” he outlines.

An improved water supply is part of a wider plan to improve living conditions at Kettle and Stony Point, including the addition of natural gas for heating, says Chief Bressette.  A new gas pipeline has connected many residents to a cheaper heating source, Chief Bressette says, and three more phases of gas hookups are anticipated within the next year or so, he adds.

The digging for the gas hookups has also given the community the opportunity to rebuild some local roads.

“We’re working cooperatively with them so we can get some good roads when they are done,” Chief Bressette explains.

The new water tower should be completed in about a year.