THUNDER BAY – A familiar Thunder Bay landmark turned heads over the weekend with an impressive Easter-themed makeover.
The newly-installed LED light display on the refurbished Boulevard Lake Dam was activated for the first time in pastel colours to mark the holiday, beginning a new tradition for the city.
The dam will feature themed light shows to mark major occasions going forward, and could be programmed with custom designs in the future.
The Easter light show, which is set to run again Monday evening, generated excitement on social media, where some residents posted photos and videos of the display.
“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” said project engineer Mike Vogrig of the reaction. I’ve been working with the city for a long time, and I don’t think I’ve ever gotten this much positive feedback on a project I’ve been involved with.”
The activation of the light system was one of the last finishing touches on the $8.5 million project, which began in June of 2020.
Work on the 115-year-old structure included extensive concrete repairs, replacing post-tension tendons for structural stability, and new mechanical gates that will allow for more refined dam operations.
It also widened the walkway running above the dam, which reopened in October of 2021, and added a new viewing platform.
The addition of the lights is a small touch that adds a lot of character, Vogrig said.
“During the original design, we knew we were involved with a project that was kind of a landmark in the city,” he said. “Obviously the main component of the project is the structural rehabilitation and making sure it’s stable, but with such a large budget, we knew we could allocate a small amount, and the small amount we allocated for this lighting component ended up being a really big win, I think.”
