BEER GARDEN DELAYED
Portside won’t open until spring.
Plans to open a new downtown Sydney beer garden have been shelved until next season after some hiccups were encountered in the construction process.
Danny Ellis had hoped his new Portside development would be open by Sept. 1. However, in an interview Friday Ellis said that some unforeseen challenges were encountered that caused delays and the game plan is now to complete construction this year and aim for opening on June 1.
“We had a little bit of trouble getting our water, we had to bring it down from the Esplanade, you could see from the site we had an exercise to get power there, we had to bring it down from the Esplanade underground,” Ellis said in an interview. “And then with the timing and the safety issues and the staffing, I just said, ‘Look, why don’t we shelve it for this year, we’re going to finish it, we’re going back down to build next week.’”
Ellis is leasing the 6,000-square-foot property from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) from June 1 to Oct. 30, with an option to renew that must go to council to approve for up to five years. His company paid $1 for the month of June and will pay $1,000 plus HST a month from July to October.
During off-season months, if any equipment or buildings are left on the premises the basic rent will continue to be paid.
Ellis’s son is acting as the contractor for the project.
With the delays, Ellis said it made little sense to go through the process of staffing and opening for only a few short weeks before the season comes to a close. He expects about two dozen staff members will be needed.
“It got to a point where …
staff we had lined up, it was pretty hard to expect them to come and work for three weeks or, weather permitting, four weeks,” he said.
He added most of the necessary equipment, tables and chairs have been purchased and have been placed into storage until next spring.
Ellis’s previous forays into the food and beverage sector have included many other well-known Sydney watering holes, including Daniel’s and the Capri.
He said he has received mostly positive feedback since
he went public with the project for what it will add to the food and beverage offerings in the district, particularly in the area of the boardwalk. Nearby Governor’s Pub also has a beer garden.
While Portside is inspired by the beer gardens in Halifax and Charlottetown, the combination outdoor dining room-lounge will feature Nova Scotia wines and spirits, authentic lobster dinners, and a selection of beer from local breweries, served on 300-seat deck overlooking the harbour.
The single-level, fully accessible facility, which will end up at around 2,400 square feet, has five sections, including two large washrooms, a kitchen, a walk-in cooler and wall of beer taps, and a stage.
Ellis has said because the Portside is modular and doesn’t have a foundation, it can be moved anytime without affecting the taxpayerowned property.