The pier in Burlington’s downtown waterfront has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. The question everyone is asking: what’s going on? We’ve been led to believe the contractor, Harm Schilthuis, is to blame. This is a local company with 57 years in business, which has successfully completed many other projects in Burlington, including the Discovery Centre and Aldershot Arena. Why would they stop work on a job if they didn’t have a reason?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve used my journalism background to investigate. There’s more to this story than we’ve been told. Furthermore, there’s an option on the table from the contractor to finish the pier – as early as this fall if work begins immediately. We know the longer this project is delayed, the more it will cost, and we’ll spend money on litigation, not finishing the pier.
We need Burlington City Council to make a decision quickly – and tell taxpayers how much this is really going to cost. You can help by sending an email to mariannemeedward@bell.net to add your name to the list of residents asking for transparency on the options available to finish the pier, and the final price. You can also leave a comment at the very bottom of the article.
Read more to get the details of my investigation, including interviews, research of public documents and material obtained under Freedom of Information.
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Ondrea Crockett describes her shop in downtown Burlington's Village Square as "upcycled" vintage furniture. A new spin on the recycling trend, these are restored treasures found at garage sales, antique shops and elsewhere, repaired and repainted. I've got two pieces - restored book cases - and they always get raves.