The acting president of the Bluewater Anglers thinks council should call in an expert to complete construction on a new four-boat public boat launch next to the Sarnia Bay Marina.
Chief Administrative Officer Margaret Misek-Evans says work has been delayed because contractors and consultants haven't figured out how to deal with underwater construction material that makes it difficult to block the water flow needed for new construction.
Acting president Ed Holubowicz says there are companies, including one in nearby Windsor, that specialize in boat launch construction.
"If they would have hired a proper company that does boat docks for a living, it would have done long ago," says Holubowicz. "Dean Construction out of Windsor specializes in this type of construction. They could have had that dock done in a couple of months. If I was the city I'd be calling in the experts to come up with a plan."
Halubowicz says the lack of a public dock will have a huge adverse economic effect on this summer's recreational boating and fishing season.
"It will have a lot of negative effect, not only on fishing, but on pleasure boaters as well. A lot of people bring their boats and launch here and spend the entire day here," he says. "On a good day, you could have 100 boats waiting to get into the water. Where are you going to put all of them?"
He praises Dave Brown who has made launch improvements at Bridgeview Marina, but says one ramp simply won't be able to accommodate all the boats on a busy day.
Halubowicz says he's frustrated.
"You take a little place like Port Glasgow on Lake Erie. They have three ramps at a little 50-slip marina. And here we are, a city of almost 100,000 and we have one ramp that has been offered at a private marina," he says. "It's a disgrace."
The city says is does not know when the new ramps might be completed.
