Stairway to the sand shore
Dedication of many individuals resulted in successful project
In recent weeks, many have noticed construction activity on top of the bank in the area popularly known as Pensioners Point.
The much-anticipated project is the construction of a stairway to the beach. Just recently completed, it is the culmination of years of hard work and determination by a number of people who persevered to bring it to fruition.
When we were growing up in the village, the sand shore was the most popular place to swim. It was the shoreline from the wharf to what we called the blocks. Young and old alike spent many hot summer days cooling off at the sand shore.
Over the years, swimmers and sunbathers gradually migrated to a better sandy beach located on the other side of the blocks. Access to either swimming area was challenging at the best of times, but there was no easy access to that beach.
Former municipal councillor Kevin Saccary had made inquiries to local government to address the issue as far back as 1991. There were discussions again in 2004, when village infrastructure improvements were being planned.
In 2013, Yvonne Kennedy suggested at a Port Morien Development Association meeting that we inquire about salvaging a metal stairway from the former heavy water plant demolition site. The contractor was approached and he agreed to donate one, but it was later determined to be unsuitable for our purposes.
The development association then decided that the construction of a stairway to the beach would be a priority project. Volunteers stepped forward. Brad Kennedy, a Port Morien resident and professional engineer with CBCL, drew up the plans. Dennis Prendergast had the land surveyed. Saccary approached the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to seek assistance and get the process moving. LeRoy Peach and Yvonne Kennedy along with Saccary were successful in accessing various sources of funding from the municipality, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Eastern Community Health Board.
Peach wrote the funding proposal for ACOA, and his persistence kept the project in the forefront from the beginning to the end. Bill Murphy at CBRM agreed to manage the tendering process and co-ordinate the project. Everything was proceeding well until a number of delays were encountered.
Consultation with the Aboriginal community was required and that was done quickly. The main hurdle was land ownership — a clear land title or lease from the federal government to the municipality was required before ACOA funding could be released. An environmental assessment was part of the process.
In the meantime, Amanda McDougall was elected the area’s councillor in October 2016.
She was a quick study and successfully navigated the project through to the final stages.
Finally, in the fall of 2017, all hurdles were cleared and the project was ready to proceed.
CBRM called for tenders in March 2018. Brilun Construction was selected and the rest, as they say, is history.
The stairway is impressive. The galvanized steel steps and railings are anchored by concrete supports. The upper flight of stairs is connected by a 60-foot walkway to the lower flight. A safety rail borders the walkway.
The $100,000 project included $8,000 raised by the Port Morien Development Association.
The community is deeply appreciative of the many people who were involved in this
lengthy process, but Brad Kennedy must be singled out.
He was involved from the very beginning. He not only drew up the plans, he volunteered to manage the construction of the project, a formidable task. Without his expertise, it is doubtful that the project would have ever happened.
The stairway project is a true community effort, and as a community, there will be some type of public recognition of its successful completion. Nothing definite has been planned yet, but some residents are informally discussing an official opening and maybe a celebration on the beach.
It is hoped that the beach will be a popular local destination on hot summer days, as the old sand shore was many years ago.
If that should happen, the determined effort to get the stairway constructed would be all worthwhile.