The Town of Cobourg has formally recognized Lakefront Utilities Manager of Water Capital Projects Larry Spyrka, presenting him with the Mayor’s Special Commendation Award for leadership, innovation, and technical expertise in delivering the new D’Arcy Elevated Tank and Booster Pumping Station.
The award was presented by Mayor Lucas Cleveland as a gesture of institutional gratitude for Spyrka’s stewardship through a multi-year planning, design, and construction process. Town officials emphasized that his approach, integrating multiple water-system functions into a single asset, fundamentally shaped the final project.
The new facility introduces a first-in-Canada design combining a traditional elevated tank with an internal booster pumping station and integrated telecommunications mounts. The consolidated engineering approach reduces construction and operating costs, avoids duplication, and increases service capacity in a growing community.
Environmental Services Director for Port Hope, Adam Taggart, says this project should serve as the benchmark for municipal water-system design going forward.
Taggart called the project “the first of its kind in Canada,” saying the Cobourg installation sets a new national standard for water-utility innovation.
Planning for the tank emerged during Cobourg’s Drinking Water Master Plan review, when growth projections showed the municipality requiring greater capacity and resiliency, along with revenue opportunities. The telecom platform atop the tank will enable antenna leasing, generating system income that can be reinvested back into infrastructure.
Spyrka says it just made sense to do it all in one building.
Located near the Cobourg Community Centre, the tank will serve expanding residential zones and support peak-demand stabilization as Cobourg’s population continues to rise. With the potential to serve up to 40,000 residents, the project positions the town well for the next two decades of expansion.
The work was supported through funding from the federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and provincial commitments, with local implementation led by Lakefront Utilities and the Town of Cobourg.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)