Waterfront strategy includes improved public access

Fort Erie town council has officially endorsed specific directions it would like to see taken as the municipality’s waterfront strategy unfolds.

Politicians recently agreed to move ahead with a plan for Greater Fort Erie’s 42 kilometres of shorelines from Point Abino to the Niagara River.

Council has received the strategy, created by the Planning Partnership, and has agreed to act on a number of recommendations — one of them being the establishment of a waterfront acquisition bank for the purpose of acquiring lands along the water.

Securing property along the lake is a key component of the strategy.

Funds from the sale of waterfront lands will be added to the waterfront coffer and an annual contribution will be made to it. The amount council will budget annually will be decided in 2018.

Council has also directed staff to prepare an official plan amendment to improve how the municipality will facilitate enhanced public access, as well as environmental conservation initiatives along the Lake Erie shoreline.

Staff have also been directed to submit an application to Niagara Region for 50 per cent of the funding needed for the proposed redevelopment of the Coal Dock’s property at the foot of Jarvis Street.

Mayor Wayne Redekop said this plan is long overdue.

“This provides us with a longterm blueprint of what we can do to capture what I think is a really significant asset for our community — and that is the waterfront,” he said.

He also said it should be known that Fort Erie’s waterfront doesn’t just consist of beach.

“I would hope that as we move forward we don’t lose sight of that,” he said.