Owen Sound is facing a familiar but difficult question: how many of its aging park, trail, and heritage assets can it afford to save?
The latest example is Centennial Tower, where city staff are moving ahead with more detailed design work before council makes a final decision on rehabilitation.
The tower was built in 1967 to mark Canada’s centennial, on the foundation of an 1887 lime kiln. It has long been a local lookout and landmark, but it has been closed since August 2024 because of structural safety concerns.
A new staff report says the tower "was restored to its original condition in 2001," but over the past two decades, "the structure has only received minor maintenance, with no significant structural repairs undertaken."
That lack of major investment is now catching up with the city.
A 2024 visual assessment found significant corrosion and section loss in the steel panels supporting the upper concrete tower. The current estimate for rehabilitation is about $271,795, but staff say that figure is not yet firm because the earlier inspection was visual only.
The report warns "there is a strong likelihood of increased costs once deterioration is exposed."
To get a clearer picture, staff are using $39,700 from the approved project allocation to begin a detailed design phase. That work will include invasive material testing to determine the true condition of the tower’s structural components before a possible 2027 tender.
The city’s older engineering history shows the warning signs have been there for years.
"Although the building is showing signs of wear, most structural elements appear to be in fair condition," read a 2018 structural review by GM BluePlan.
But that same report also noted corrosion, cracked and spalling concrete, missing bolts, deteriorating decking, and undermining near the walkway.
It also made clear the review had limits, stating, "no testing, intrusive investigation, or calculations were carried out."
Centennial Tower is not the only public asset putting pressure on Owen Sound’s capital planning. The Nine Bends Trail remains closed after a slope failure, caused drainage issues, brought down trees and left others at risk of falling. The city has said it wants to reopen the trail, but only when it can be done safely and responsibly.
That trail is an important active transportation link between Greenwood Cemetery and Harrison Park, but like the tower, reopening it is not just a matter of public interest. It is a matter of engineering, liability, and money.
The same broader issue is also showing up in Harrison Park, where the west entry roadway has been described as being in very poor condition after flooding and spring runoff. The park’s only vehicle access road sees heavy use each year, adding another expensive item to the city’s growing list of infrastructure needs.
For Centennial Tower, council has already moved the refurbishment project to the funded list for 2027. However, staff say they will report back once the detailed design work is complete, with a verified construction estimate before tendering begins.
Council will have to weigh the cultural value of a landmark built by local students nearly 60 years ago against the cost of restoring it, the added maintenance it will require, and the reality that other public spaces are also competing for limited dollars.
