The appearance of two sinkholes has prompted the City of Moncton to drain a popular recreational lake.
The sinkholes are located near the control gates at the mouth of Jones Lake.
City staff discovered the holes, one of which has since been filled. The second hole is about a metre-and-a-half deep.
Crews looking for the cause of the holes hit a snag when inspection by a closed circuit camera through the drainage pipe couldn’t be completed.
General foreman Jeff Scott is keeping one eye on the sinkhole and the other on the weather forecast.
“Depending on whether there's a lot of rain or not, the soil will disappear at different rates,” says Scott. “We've been filling it up, keeping it topped up to make sure there isn't any danger to anyone.”
Barricades have been set up to keep the public away, but Scott is asking the public not to get too curious.
Jones Lake is a popular destination for people out for a walk or for boating, but those who use the lake say they have never seen it levels this low.
“It's always been up to where the grass starts,” says resident Jessie Gordon.
This is the second time the sinkholes have been filled in in the last three years. Crews say a full repair could take some time.
“We have a permanent fix that's coming…but there's another project that has to go ahead first before we put a permanent fix in here,” says Scott.
There is no word on when the lake will be refilled at this time.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
