The “Hallett” was expected to make its final voyage today as the historic boat was to be floated down the upper Rainy River to its new site just west of the Sorting Gap Marina. Community Services manager George Bell told town council yesterday evening that if all goes to plan, the “Hallett” would have been hoisted onto a flatbed trailer using two cranes this morning and then moved over to Armstrong’s dock at Seven Oaks.

The boat then would be lifted up by the cranes and placed into the water, where a tugboat belonging to George Armstrong Co. Ltd. would tow it down the river to its new spot, where it will sit in a cradle in the shallow water just offshore of the La Verendrye Parkway as part of the Heritage Tourism project.

Bell noted there is a concern the water level may be too low for the tugboat since some gates were opened at the dam recently and the river has gone down. “The contractor will play it by ear about whether or not they feel comfortable taking it down the river, or if the water level’s high enough that Armstrong can get the tugboat into the river to tow it down,” he said. “But I am pretty they’ll have the ‘Hallett’ in the water [today].”

Coun. Sharon Tibbs said many local residents, including her own family, seem very interested in seeing the “Hallett” float down the river, and was hopeful the town would be able to notify the public when it was going to happen. “This is the last voyage of the ‘Hallett.’ It’s going home,” she remarked.

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