Stage to revitalize old Port Dalhousie lock
A performance stage will be gifted to the city as part of a community-led project to revitalize the old Welland Canal Lock 1 site in Port Dalhousie.
City councillors unanimously agreed to accept and include the stage in the Kiwanis-led project Monday, but will look for someone else to operate it if there are any associated costs.
The stage will be in place with tiered seating by Canada Day if all goes according to plan.
“We are pleased to report that Phase 1, the removal of above-ground vegetation, has been done in Lock 1,” Len Bates of the Kiwanis Club of St. Catharines told city councillors, giving them an update on the fourphase project.
Phases 2 and 3 to re-grade the slope within the lock walls and design and construct the stage, seating, retaining wall and fencing is in progress.
“The money has been raised and we’re ready to go with all funds necessary to complete these phases,” Bates said, adding the contractor is waiting for all officials to sign off and then they can order specific materials.
The final phase of the project, a public art piece, still requires donations to complete. The piece will depict tow horses used as ship-guides when the old canal was in operation from 1845 to 1889.
Bates said they’ve retained an artist and expect the final renderings to present to the city’s public art advisory committee soon.
The Kiwanis Club of St. Catharines is leading the beautification project with the Port Dalhousie Beautification and Works Committee. Kiwanis has leased the property known as Lock 1 of the second Welland Canal on Lockport Road for $2 for the next five years to fix it up.
The project’s phases 2 to 4 are estimated to cost $425,000 and Kiwanis is responsible for raising all funds.
Initial plans included tiered seating for about 100 people but a report to council Monday said Kiwanis wanted to add the stage at the base of the seating area for performances.
The stage would be 4.5 metres deep by 13.5 metres wide between the lock walls. It would not be hooked up to lighting or electrical.
St. Patrick’s Coun. Mat Siscoe, the standing budget committee chair, asked that if there are operating costs for the stage, a group such as the Port Dalhousie BIA be engaged to take ownership of those additional costs.
The concession stand in Port Dalhousie’s Lakeside Park is owned by the city and is leased to a third-party operator.
“I’m hopeful that council will not allow budget committee to take on an additional unfunded cost because there are priorities across this city. Centennial Park. The continued rejuvenation of Lakeside,” Siscoe said.
“There are other priorities we’ve identified and I don’t want to be dragging dollars from those.”
He made an amendment to the staff recommendation approving the project, that upon design approval, operating costs be determined and referred to the budget standing committee for pre-approval conditional upon a third party or private vendor agreeing to operate it.
The amendment was narrowly passed, 7-6.
St. Patrick’s Coun. Mark Elliott said it was great the city was getting a new facility and how the stage is programmed in the future isn’t necessarily a concern.
Elliott said the question was better left for budget night.
“We’re getting a facility the cultural community can utilize in some way,” he said.
And Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson said he understood what Siscoe was saying but couldn’t support the amendment as written.
“We have a group that’s making this major investment in it and now we have to take some responsibility for maintaining it as a city,” he said.
But Merritton Coun. Dave Haywood, in supporting the amendment, said he was opposed to the whole thing if it adds any cost to the city because money usually comes out of parks.
“One-third of all our parks are in such bad condition they’re a health and safety risk,” he said.