Gabarus seawall repairs underway in Cape Breton

Residents in the tiny fishing village of Gabarus in Cape Breton say they're delighted the work to repair the local seawall and reinforce it with armour stone is more than halfway complete.

The wood and stone structure is the only thing protecting the village from the full force of the Atlantic Ocean if the wall was breached the village would flood.

The Friends of Gabarus Society, which has been fighting to get the seawall repaired for years, said the residents have been depending on luck to protect the village.

"As we have said, that's not a great strategy," said Tim Menk.

"Now we've got luck along with countless tonnes of armour stone and multiple engineers who have worked on the plan."

The seawall has been in desperate need of repairs since it was damaged by numerous storms and was in danger of breaking apart.

Menk said people are feeling more secure now that construction on the wall is coming along.

"The first several weeks, all day long, large trailer trucks shuttling back and forth with stones large enough that maybe three to four would fit on a trailer truck," he said.

"Very large stones that are going on the beach and other smaller stones that are being put in as foundation below those, below grade so it's quite a substantial wall."

The wall was originally built by the federal government in the 1940s and was repaired in the 1980s.

Since then the wall has continued to break apart. Earlier this year, all three levels of government agreed to share the cost of repairing the seawall.

The repairs will cost $700,000 and the project should be completed in the new year.