New Tancook ferry critic off course

Re: “Tancook ferry folly” (Nov. 23 letter). My wife and I are full-time residents of Big Tancook Island and, being among the 70 per cent of residents over the age of 50, we look forward to the many conveniences a car ferry will offer.

I am writing to clarify several misleading assumptions made by Chester resident Suzan Fraser. Aside from a few dissident voices, I think a majority of my fellow islanders see that the many benefits of a car ferry far outweigh the negative impacts.

Ms. Fraser states that “the island that has so few cars they aren’t even licensed.” In fact, there are many vehicles on Tancook and, yes, they are unlicensed. Tancook is legally exempt from having cars licensed, as declared by the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles. It should also be noted that all Tancook residents have licensed, insured cars on the mainland. With the car ferry, we will be able to drive these cars to our doors on Tancook.

Ms. Fraser seems to think that car ferries will be unable to make the crossing from the Tancook Islands to Blandford in January, February or March. This same type of ferry makes crossings every day of the year to Long Island and Brier Island. The new design has proven itself in Digby Neck, Whitehead Island and Deer Island in New Brunswick.

With regard to the public meeting on Big Tancook in December 2019, I was there and took extensive notes. Prior to the meeting, island residents submitted questions regarding the ferry and these questions were given to Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal staff to help them prepare for the meeting. The meeting was attended by senior TIR staff, including the deputy minister. Also in attendance were Chester’s own councillors and warden. The meeting was moderated in a professional manner by Hugh Mackay, MLA for Chester-st. Margarets.

Each question was addressed by TIR staff. There were no questions from islanders that went unanswered.

Ms. Fraser states that, “They were surprised to hear the announcement earlier this month that the government had decided what was in their best interests without consulting them.”

We were not surprised. No one attending this public meeting could reasonably be surprised by the announcement of the car ferry decision. One key question asked at the December meeting was: “Will input from the islanders be considered?” The explicit answer given was: “The decision will not be made based on a vote by the islanders.”

A very important consideration in the decision to replace the current ferry with a car ferry is the worrisome condition of the wharf on Little Tancook Island. This federal wharf is in desperate need of being rebuilt, but the federal government has declined to repair it. Instead, it has tried unsuccessfully to get the province to assume responsibility for its upkeep.

The Little Tancook wharf is one major storm away from becoming damaged beyond repair. When this happens, the present ferry, the William G. Ernst, will no longer be able to dock at Little Tancook. This will leave its residents with no ferry service at all.

It is bewildering to me that a resident of Chester is so negatively vocal about a decision that directly impacts the residents of Big and Little Tancook and Blandford, especially when many residents applaud the decision.

Ward Carson, Big Tancook Island