Amherstburg considers building boat launch despite cost warning
Despite staff warnings about the high cost, Amherstburg council voted this week to explore ways to proceed with a public boat launch at Walter Ranta Memorial Park.
The decision was made during a council meeting on Monday after Rodney Ferriss, president of the AMA Sportsmen Association, spoke of the need for a public boat launch. An administration report advised against the launch because it would be too expensive.
A private boat launch at the nearby River Canard Yacht Club marina is no guarantee of future public access to the Detroit River because landowners could sell the property or change its use, said Ferriss.
“(What) we're asking the town is to secure a future because that marina, believe it or not, it can be sold out from underneath the town.”
But a proposed boat launch with a 7.5-metre wide access for traffic, with the ramp situated at the far west side of the park, along with parking to accommodate 15 boat trailers, would cost about $1.6 million, according to a report by Heidi Baillargeon, director of parks, facilities, recreation and culture.
A second option, building a public access launch closer to the road, would require dredging the canal and the total price tag would be about $5 million, the report said.
Both options would take about two years to complete since studies and approvals at various levels of government would be required.
And while public access to waterways is in the town's strategic plan, it isn't in the town's current fiveyear capital spending plan. Funding the public boat launch “would require other projects currently in the five-year capital plan to be revisited and either cancelled or pushed out to accommodate this project,” the report says.
As well, the public launch at the park would require increasing the town's operating budget.
With the exception of Coun. Linden Crain, councillors rallied behind proceeding with necessary studies.
Coun. Don Mcarthur supported the motion to investigate funding for the new ramp.
“It's expensive. It's going to take some time. Council is going to need to suck it up at budget time and put money aside for it. And I think that's going to be hard,” he said.
“We're going to have to hold our ground, come this budget, and then come the next budget. Because we haven't put money aside to pay for this.
“We're going to have to do this or we're going to have to put it on your tax bill.”
Mayor Michael Prue supported the motion after saying he was moved by Ferriss's presentation and the impassioned debate around the council table.
“When I first saw the figures, I thought there was no way we could do this, but listening to the passionate pleas and listening to the long-term goal ... (it's) what Amherstburg needs as a river town.”
But, Prue said, he didn't think the lower cost estimate will be enough.
“The $1.6 million, I want everyone to know, is not going to happen. We're probably looking at well in excess of $2 million, maybe $2.5 million for the cheapest option.”
Crain said the cost is too high, and he didn't like the idea of providing competition to the existing private boat launch at the marina.
“I'm all for public access to the waterfront but right now a boat ramp doesn't seem feasible,” he said.
Councillors also voted to direct $139,000 from the Walter Ranta Memorial Park Bequest Reserve towards the cost of necessary studies.