Over the past few years, about $6 million has been poured into the operation, upgrades made by the Small Craft Harbours office of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Cluney Pardy, who works with the harbour authority, said the breakwater was not constructed properly and it's now practically unusable.
"Back about two-and-a-half or three years ago, there was a new section of wharf, around 300 feet, put there, and a new breakwater," said Mr. Pardy. "It seems now as if the breakwater has been negatively affected by the changing of the tides and the currents in the harbour, and we're getting a huge undertow along the new section of the wharf."
When boats are tied up there, Mr. Pardy said, they are constantly moving back and forth, damaging ropes and chains. The repairs are necessary in order to allow for boats to be safely docked in the harbour year-round.
"We've had some engineering work done through Small Crafts Harbour and through public works, and we're hearing it's going to cost somewhere around $1.5 million to do the work," said Mr. Pardy. "It will take $750,000 for the first phase that they want to experiment with."
Mr. Pardy said the first move will likely be to construct a berm which government officials say should improve the situation. Mr. Pardy said he's hoping the money for the project will be included in this year's federal budget.
"There's always money in every budget for wharf projects," said Mr. Pardy. "They came here, they spent all that money, and all they did was make a mess of it. We told them when they first put that breakwater there, this was what was going to happen. They put it more to the right of the wharf than they should have."
“They came here, they spent all that money, and all they did was make a mess of it.” - Cluney Pardy, Harbour Authority
When and if the money comes through, it's estimated the repair work could take up to a year to complete.
"It's right there where we offload fish, and it can be pretty inconvenient when you get a strong northeaster," said Mr. Pardy. "It's a real headache for us now."
Mr. Pardy said owners of a million-dollar boat that was tied up to the wharf recently were concerned during a storm the boat was going to break free from the ropes and chains holding it secure to the wharf.
"They had to stay aboard all but one night the whole fall," said Mr. Pardy. "The winds and the currents of the water was tugging on it so hard they were afraid it was going to break away."
Mr. Pardy said the work needs to be done sooner than later.
"Right now, it's useless because you can't really do anything there," he said. "They need to find the money to get this work started as soon as possible."
tsaunders@ganderbeacon.ca
Twitter: @Beacon1Reporter
.jpg)
.jpg)
