Article detailed the opening of the bridge near the Holland Marsh pumphouse which "serves a considerable portion of the Holland Marsh, [and] replaces the old wooden structure which was in a bad state of repair". Officials for Simcoe and York Counties, and King Township attended.

Marsh Canal

Pumphouse on Canal Rd. for the Bradford Drainage Scheme. Built in 1949, now renovated.

Photo was taken near the Bradford Pump House at the junction of the canal and the Holland River near Hwy. 11. The pumps were flown in from Western Canada by the Armed Forces, arranged by Mr. Stoddart. A tractor was used to run the pump. Water was pumped from the flooded land over the dyke and into the canal from where it flowed along the Holland River and into Cook's Bay.

"Professor W.H. Day is the original father of the Holland Marsh but for the past 36 years, that role has fallen to Art Janse. On April 30th, Janse retired from his role and it is now up to the new Holland Marsh Governance body to make the new Marsh relocation scheme a reality..."
Article continues on to highlight Art Janse's contributions to the marsh, and upcoming projects and renovations.

A proposed drainage scheme to relocate the drainage canals in the Holland Marsh will cost an estimated $8.7 million. This sum is too great for the Marsh farmers alone so they are attempting to extend the assessment area to 65,000 acres of upland property in Bradford West Gwillimbury, King Township, New Tecumseth, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, and Caledon but this idea has been met with legal challenges. Due to the legal fees surrounding this the Holland Marsh Drainage Committee has asked the province for $2 million in extraordinary funding for the scheme. After being completed in 1930 the 17.5 miles of canals that ring the Holland Marsh have been dredged several times, and after Hurricane Hazel were even widened and deepened. Although, recent studies show that the canal is almost filled in at certain points. Studies have also shown that due to south canal being filled in so much the north canal is handling four times the flow of the south canal. Relocation of the canal is the preferred solution to this problem.

One year after Hurricane Hazel, before the canal was dug out.

A view of the Marsh Canal looking north from the 5th line bridge.

Bradford West Gwillimbury and King Township received $10.2 million from the Ontario government to reconstruct the Holland Marsh canal.

Art Janse has been involved in the Holland Marsh all of his life, as a resident, a farmer, a Town employee for 45 years, and drainage superintendent for Bradford West Gwillimbury and King Township. Janse is retiring due to the response from many of the farmers to his ideas for the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme improvements that would also improve the safety for motorists. The project has a high price tag of bout $17 million but Janse has won the right to assess upland residents a share of the cost, and has made the case for contributions from municipalities, OMAFRA, Transportation, Natural Resources and Environmental Ministries, and Conservation Authorities.