Fundraising to begin for Whitman Dam Road repairs

After a group of stakeholders raised long-held concerns about the condition of Whitman Dam Road, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has agreed to help with fundraising efforts to repair the road.  

“It’s very exciting news for the community. That road has been in very rough shape over the last few years and people are very anxious to get it fixed and start using it on a more regular basis,” said Todd Slotegraaf, a property owner in the Cowie Lake area, speaking to SooToday Thursday.

Sections of the road, Slotegraaf said, have been washed out and left impassable for many months at a time.

He stated the province classifies the road as a logging road and therefore takes no responsibility for its maintenance until logging companies are interested in logging in the area. 

A seven-member Whitman Dam Road Committee was struck at a  March 12 meeting in Searchmont, attended by Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha, to look into possibilities to repair Whitman Dam Road from the dump at Searchmont to the warming shack on the Domtar Road, a distance of about 57 kilometres.

The committee, of which Slotegraaf is chair, consists of property owners, cottage owners and members of groups such as the Sault Trailblazers Snowmobile Club and local businesses.

“Even though it’s classified as a forest road, Whitman Dam Road is a major thoroughfare to the Algoma headwaters, a major thoroughfare for tourism in Ontario, for snowmobilers and for ATV users, a huge economic boost for local businesses that benefit from those snowmobilers and campers going up to their camps,” Slotegraaf said.

“The Ministry (of Transportation) was very forthcoming and very good to work with. They gave us an approval to form a 50-50 special committee.”

The 50-50 agreement, Slotegraaf explained, involves the MTO matching Whitman Dam Road repair funds raised by the committee and its supporters, dollar for dollar.

“Any money we raise, we turn that over to the Ministry by June 27, they will match those funds and repairs can begin.”

The Whitman Dam Road Committee is attempting to raise $30,000 for repairs on the road, with matching funds from the MTO for a total of $60,000, Slotegraaf said.

The committee hopes the fundraising process will go on for three consecutive years, until the road can meet MTO guidelines, with fundraising efforts continuing into 2019 and 2020.

Slotegraaf said he doesn’t view the initial $30,000 fundraising goal for 2018 as a high bar to reach.

“It’s more like a ceiling,” Slotegraaf chuckled, anticipating solid stakeholder support.

Those interested in supporting the Whitman Dam Road cause can visit the Whitman Dam Road Committee Facebook page or contact the group through email at [email protected]

MPP Mantha, Slotegraaf said, “is very good to work with. He’s still working with us and coming up with ideas.”

“The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has also been a very good group to work with (since the March 12 meeting),” Slotegraaf added.