Ferry one step closer to reality
Posted By By Jeff Helsdon
Posted 5 months ago
Provincial funding for a feasibility study could bring a proposed Lake Erie ferry closer to reality.
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Steve Peters was in Port Burwell Thursday to announce the province will provide $115,000 in funding for a feasibility study through the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program. The program is designed to help rural communities remove barriers to development and economic growth.
Kent Kristensen of Seaport Management first proposed a cross-Erie ferry from Port Burwell to Fairport Harbor, Ohio about six years ago. As part of the process, Municipality of Bayham council requested a feasibility study. His proposal was for one boat initially to handle both transport truck and passenger traffic, but expandable up to three, including a fast ferry for passenger service.
Earlier this summer in a separate proposal, Captain Russell Blais expressed interest in using Port Burwell as the Canadian base for his proposed ferry to Ashtabula, Ohio. This proposal was for one boat only.
RED funding will provide $115,000, or 50 per cent, of the $230,000 cost of a feasibility study. Bayham Mayor Lynn Acre was hopeful an application to the federal Community Adjustment Fund would provide 40 per cent.
Bayham and other local municipalities would be responsible for the remaining 10 per cent, or $23,000. Acre already has commitments from Oxford County for 10 per cent of that amount and believes other municipalities will kick when funding from higher levels of government is in place.
One of the impetuses for the feasibility study was concerns about the additional traffic raised by Chatham Street residents adjacent to the harbour. The study will address those concerns. It will also look at the timeline for construction of the necessary infrastructure, dredging needs, land transfers and roads infrastructure.
“I’m excited and pleased to see that these studies can move forward to help us unlock the economic potential of a proposed cross-border ferry,” Acre said
Peters sees economic potential for not only Bayham and Port Burwell, but also the region if a ferry was to come into being. On his way to the announcement he stopped by Port Burwell Marine Museum and took notice of the display on the Ashtabula, which was a coal boat that ran between Ohio and Port Burwell.
“That boat at that time was making the crossing in three hours, 50 minutes,” he said. “If you were to hop in your car today and drive to Ashtabula, add in border time and you’re looking at six hours.”
On the other side of the lake, Grand River, Ohio Mayor Chris Conley was glad to hear of the funding, saying it will bring a ferry closer to reality.
“We’re very excited down here,” he said. “It made the front page of our local newspaper.”
He and other area officials have secured the support of the governor’s office, two Senators and Congressman Steven LaTourette. All sent letters of support for the RED application and the latter committed $30 million in funding for ferry infrastructure in Ohio.
Bob Shiner, president of city council City of Mentor, Ohio, also hailed the announcement as good news.
“This is a big step for helping economic development in her (Acre’s) region and our region,” he said. “I believe it will be a big catalyst.”
Shiner also mentioned the ferry’s potential as a green project by saving on truck emissions with the shortcut across the lake.
While Acre and Peters were discussing the potential of a ferry on the Port Burwell pier, Acre said she understood Blais was in Ottawa rallying support for his proposal. The mayor also said she until she read it in the newspaper she was unaware Kristensen was now looking at the Clear Creek area of Norfolk as a base for his proposal.
Acre hopes the feasibility study will start this fall. It’s expected it will take close to a year to complete.
