Riverview mayor Andrew LeBlanc cuts the ribbon for the new staircase, 11 Oct 2022 (91.9 The Bend photo)

The lookout and dam in Mill Creek Nature Park are now connected with a galvanized steel staircase.

An official ribbon cutting was held by Riverview council and staff on Tuesday for the nearly $150,000 project.

Riverview Parks and Recreation director David Shea said the 72-steps spanning 56-vertical feet is a huge accomplishment.

“This was a high risk point for many years in the park. Some of you may have slid down on your bum in the winter months or rock climbed up on your way to the lookout,” noted Shea.

Steel staircase connecting the lookout and the dam (91.9 The Bend Photo)

Mayor Andrew LeBlanc said the stairwell is a game-changer for the park and community which will make it more accessible.

“Anything that enhances the existing park and helps us grow it, is a good thing because it’s such a valuable resource for the town. It has brought people in from across the region, across the province and even beyond the Atlantic region.”

The lookout at Mill Creek is one of the UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Reserve’s Amazing Places with its view of lush trees, birds and the reservoir that overflows an old navy dam, upstream from the Petitcodiac River.