Questions on downtown waterfront master plan

Members of North Bay City Council got the chance last night (Wednesday) to ask questions about the downtown waterfront master plan.

Jessica Hawes is a consultant with Brook McIlroy, which developed the plan.

She says the plan is all about connecting the downtown to the waterfront and bringing in a diversity of features that will heighten the vibrancy of the downtown.

The wish list includes a lot, but she says the splash pad and a skating rink were the most popular items with the public.

Some councillors were concerned about the cost being up to $25-Million if everything is done.

But, Hawes says council’s endorsement of the plan doesn’t mean everything in the plan will occur.

She says, if approved, each piece will be reviewed by council.

Hawes says the plan is a road map that can deviate and adjust based on available funds and city aspirations.

Meantime, there’s no doubt that works needs to be done on the King’s Landing wharf, but what will the cost be and what should it be.

This is what some councillors were feeling following a presentation to a council committee by the company hired by the city to do an environmental assessment on the project.

David Bonsall of D.M. Wills Associates says the preferred choice is to do a three phase pier development, which would cost $13.5-Million.

Phase one would be repairing the dock at a cost of $6-Million.

He says doing nothing allows for continuous deterioration of the wharf and over time that would increase liability to the municipality, in terms of public safety.

Community Services Committee chair Mark King agrees with him, but only to a certain point.

He says the question is whether the city approves a plan to move the Chief Commanda II docking point, which would be a lot more expensive than simply repairing what’s there now.

King says in addition to the cost concerns there’s also environmental issues with a fish spawning area possibly having to be moved if council went ahead with the entire pier development, as proposed under the preferred option.