Fitzroy Harbour boat bypass nears approval
By Jake Rupert, The Ottawa Citizen - Thursday, February 02, 2006
A plan to put a boat bypass around Chat’s Dam in Fitzroy Harbour is on the cusp of approval at City Hall, but some area residents are still trying to stop what they say is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Credit: Dennis Leung, The Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa River bypass is to cost $1.4 million, with funding split between the city, provincial, federal and Renfrew County governments, as well as Ontario Power Generation, which owns the dam.
In 2002, the city tentatively approved its portion—$350,000—and put most of the money aside until environmental studies were completed.
The city’s economic development committee will hear submissions on Tuesday, and if the plan is approved, a full council vote will occur the next day.
If given the green light, the pickup and drop-off spots for boats would be near the Quyon ferry landing, downstream from the dam at the end of Ferry Road, and at Lavergne Bay, upstream from the dam at the end of Dewolfe Street. Boats would be trucked between the points, 18 kilometres around the village.
Powerboats up to 10 metres long and with 15,000 pounds of displacement can be moved; it’s estimated five to 10 boats a day would use the system, for a fee.
It would be the last link in a system of six bypasses allowing large boats to travel the river from Ottawa to Temiscaming, a distance of about 400 kilometres. The system is owned and operated by the non-profit Ottawa River Project Inc.
Project officials have been trying to open a bypass at Fitzroy Harbour since 1993.
“It will finally give people Ottawa as a destination, and Ottawa boats will now be able to go into the wilderness,” said Gary Wiseman, project manager for the group that will build, own and operate the bypass.
Among those opposed is Terry Tufts, who lives on Ferry Road, about a kilometre from the proposed downstream site, who said there are a number of concerns.
“Nobody on this road wants the damned thing. There’s no economic benefit to anybody in this area. There aren’t even enough people who are going to use it to make it worth the money.
“It’s going to be a white elephant, costing taxpayers a whole lot of money at a time when the city is looking for savings.”
A group of residents from Vydon Acres, near the upstream site, is also opposed, said Mike Campbell, president of the Willola Beach Property Owners Association. Other bypasses on the system aren’t being used, and some aren’t being manned full time, he said.
“With the city looking for savings, money shouldn’t be invested in something like this that will benefit very few people,” Mr. Campbell said.
Mr. Tufts said he is concerned a full environmental study has not been done, and traffic and noise concerns have not been properly addressed.
Not so, said West Carleton Councillor Eli El-Chantiry.
In 2002, he said, council approved the city’s funding, but it was contingent on river project officials doing all necessary federal, provincial, and municipal studies.
Since then, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Transport Canada have signed off on plans. The planned bypass route has been changed to satisfy residents. A city traffic study found “no serious issues.” Ontario’s ministries of natural resources and the environment have also been consulted.
The resource ministry spoke to several opponents of the plan and did an environmental report; officials decided a full assessment was not needed, so building permits for the project were issued last week.
Mr. Wiseman said construction should start in mid-February, with the goal of having it open in time for boating season.
The project depends on getting the money from all the stakeholders; once the city approves its share, the other funds are to follow.
Mr. El-Chantiry and Councillor Maria McRae, who sits on the economic development committee, say they think the money will be approved.
“They have done everything we asked them to do and followed every direction from all the other organizations they consulted with,” Mr. El-Chantiry said.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006
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