Adam Bramburger
Beaver Staff
Amherst Island residents will be seeing major changes and major investment to a staple of their lives over the next year as two projects for improving ferry service forge ahead.
Last month, Rankin Construction Ltd. of St. Catharines, Ont. started a $51.7-million project that will see end-loading docks installed at both Millhaven and Stella. The project will also include sidewalks, a bubbling system to control ice, and new facilities with waiting areas and restrooms.
On Friday, Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Mike Bossio brought additional good news that a new vessel will be built to service the route by the end of 2019. While riding the current ferry, the Frontenac II with councillor Duncan Ashley, Bossio said his federal government would contribute one-third of the $61-million cost for the design and build of ferries at Wolfe and Amherst islands. The provincial government would pay for the build of the build, tendered to Damen Shipyards.
“A new ferry for Amherst Island is going to do a lot of good,” Bossio said in a release. “It’s going to extend the life of the existing vessel for use as a backup, while the new ferry will improve capacity, efficiency and mobility and provide environmental benefits such as air quality improvement.”
The Amherst Island vessel, which will be operated by Loyalist Township crews, is expected to carry up to 300 people and 40 vehicles — up from the existing 35 vehicle Frontenac II. The new docks are also being designed to allow Wolfe Island ferries to be used at Amherst Island if necessary.
The ferry makes 20 trips per day across the North Straight and Bossio said the additional capacity will help cut the amount of people waiting for another boat almost in half.
Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation estimates approximately 290,000 passengers and 136,000 vehicles use the crossing each year.
The dock project will evolve in four stages between this fall and the summer of 2020. The first stage, this winter, involved the creation of temporary docks Ashley said are intended to keep ferry service continuous year-round while permanent end-loading docks are built. Temporary parking reductions on each side of the crossing will be in effect. By next spring, the temporary docks should be in use.
Stage 2 will see the demolition of the existing docks and the construction of permanent docks. In Stage 3, expected about a year from now, terminal buildings will be constructed and the temporary docks will be removed. Finally, in the fourth stage, the buildings will be completed and landscaping and traffic control elements will be added.
Ashley said the changes will be beneficial for speed and safety, while providing new opportunities.
“I’m 50 now and I have a hard time backing up and paying attention. Just for the workers on the deck, they have to put themselves in harm’s way,” he said. “They’re not driving your car, you’re taking direction. Driving straight on and straight off as opposed to basically parallel parking on here is great for workers’ safety, it’s much easier and much quicker.”
Ashley added that under the present system, it’s hard to get anything larger than a tandem dump truck on the Frontenac II — and it was really difficult when smaller vessels from the Adolphustown-Glenora crossing were used as backup —but the change could allow transport trucks, large agricultural equipment and trailers, and emergency vehicles greater access.
“It means the 20th Century is coming to Amherst Island and the 21st Century. Some of that is hard to adjust to, but development potential is necessary,” he said.
Ashley also said the new terminal facilities will be much appreciated.
“What we have now is effectively one little bus shelter. If you’re commuting and you get dropped off, good luck staying warm, especially this time of year.”