Construction crews have begun work on a $9-million rehabilitation of Silver Lake and a stretch of Laurel Creek.

Crews began work in August removing silt that has accumulated in Silver Lake, the artificial lake that is a beloved feature of Waterloo Park.

By the time the work is done next year, they will have removed 30,000 cubic metres of sediment from the lake — equivalent to more than 3,000 dump truck loads.

The sediment has accumulated since the lake was last dredged 23 years ago, said Jessica Kellerman, project manager for the City of Waterloo. Removing it will restore the lake’s depth to as much as four metres, and rid the lake of the weed- and scrub-covered piles of sediment.