STEPHEN RICCIO

Bryson June 16, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE: Over the next several months, THE EQUITY will be reporting on the progress each municipality within the Pontiac has made since the last slate of municipal elections in 2017. This series aims to uncover and expand on what key accomplishments, challenges and notable events each community has dealt with over the past four years. 

Located on the banks of the Ottawa River and named after local lumber baron and politician George Bryson Sr., the Municipality of Bryson and its roughly 700 residents approach the upcoming electoral term with a revitalized community and eagerness for normalcy.

“It’s looking brighter than it did a few years ago,” said Mayor Alain Gagnon in an interview with The Equity, referring to the general outlook after having spent nearly the last 16 months bouncing in and out of lockdown restrictions.

Despite the pandemic, Gagnon is hopeful that residents can start enjoying the fruits of the Bryson council’s labour in revitalizing community life in the village; a major focus for the council since it was elected in late 2017.

Those efforts culminated in the construction of a new outdoor ice rink and the paving of the street leading to Lions Park.

“I could almost say it’s linked together, I think the street [being] paved and the new rink [being built],” Gagnon said, when asked what the council’s biggest achievement was. 

The new rink was established during the 2018-2019 winter season, with the municipality covering roughly half of the $50,000 price tag while the municipal recreation association covered the other half.

“The rink we had before was plywood, the corners were like a 45 degree angle and it wasn’t square, but now we have a real rink with a cement base,” Gagnon said.

“Those girls did a tremendous job [working] on the RA, so we have a new rink,” he added.

The ballpark at Lions Park was also upgraded, as the council invested in LED lights in the interest of long-term savings and being environmentally-friendly.

Gagnon also added that part of the council’s emphasis had been placed on re-energizing social events in Bryson, and to great success prior to the pandemic.

“What I’m really proud of is having a revitalization committee that is active and brings back the golf tournament, [the] ball tournament, [to] bring the community together like it was 20, 30 years ago.”

Major infrastructure work is being planned for this summer, as the municipality has been experiencing issues with its water treatment system due to the volume of fine Ottawa River sand in the water.

“It would put between the river and the water treatment plant … it would be like a big cement box with dividers in there so the water sits there for a little while and the sand goes to the bottom and it’s switching compartments, and they say that at the end the water will be almost without sand,” Gagnon explained.

The project’s expected price tag is roughly $250,000, a lofty expense for a municipality of Bryson’s size relative to most projects. With that being said, Bryson’s council also had to fork out $300,000 on separate occasions in 2019 for infrastructure purposes. First, the town’s main water line had to be repaired to avoid having to shut down the entire line every time there was one break. The council also invested $300,000 to install a 30 inch storm sewer drainage pipe, as the previously purchased 12 inch pipe was too small.

Though many of Bryson’s residents live along the river, the 2019 floods had a minor impact on the community relative to other Pontiac municipalities.

“[It was] not that bad, we protected four houses,” Gagnon said. “We didn’t have to evacuate any residents, [but] of course it did cost us … $50,000 in bags and sand … Again with the help of all the volunteers filling out the sandbags, we could not make it without those people.”

With Pontiac clearing another COVID-19 restriction hurdle on Monday as the region moved into the yellow zone designation, Gagnon was happy to report that Bryson residents were hardly affected by the virus itself.

“Of course everybody was careful and we had from what we know, maybe two cases in Bryson so we did really good,” he said.

With plenty of beautiful weather on the horizon and nearly the entire summer to work with, he said that the community is hoping to get back to hosting normal events, such as its annual Bryson Picnic in August.

“We’re talking about it,” he said. “So we’re hoping to be able to do those things, and finally meet.”