Safety fencing going up around Hanover Dam this week

Work on new safety fencing around the Hanover Dam begins this week, the Town of Hanover and the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) say.

In a public notice issued Oct. 29, the town and SVCA said installation starts the week of Nov. 2. Crews will put up chain-link fencing first. Decorative metal fencing will be installed later in November, once it has been manufactured.

New signage is also going in. The town and SVCA say the fencing and signage are meant to improve safety around the dam area.

Trail and park users may see construction activity and temporary disruptions while the work is underway. The town is asking people to use caution and follow any signs or directions posted on site.

How the project is paid for

Hanover council approved the town's share of the work at its July 13 meeting. According to the meeting minutes, council approved $20,000 in matching funds "to complete safety fencing and tree retention around Hanover Dam," moved from the asset management line of the road administration operating budget (Resolution 173-26).

The match is tied to the province's Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure (WECI) program. SVCA reported securing $249,500 in 2026-27 WECI funding for four groups of projects worth a combined $479,000, one of which is public safety fencing at the Hanover Dam. Neither the town nor SVCA has published a total cost for the Hanover Dam fencing on its own.

At the same July meeting, council asked about the dam's condition and its long-term future. SVCA's water resources manager told council the required work relates to the auxiliary spillway, and that structural assessments, studies and a Class Environmental Assessment would be needed before options and costs could be determined, the minutes say.

Questions about the project can go to the Town of Hanover at 519-364-2780.