Posted on June 15, 2017
By Heidi Riedner, YorkRegion.com
Opening Mossington wharf in Jackson’s Point back up to the public and dredging of the Black River will have to wait until after further environmental testing.
Repair work on the wharf as well as the dredging of the river was supposed to have started in March as part of a grant agreement between the feds and the town struck in November of last year.
Negotiated three years after the wharf was deemed unsafe and fenced off by the small craft harbours branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, it included a $330,000 grant in lieu of the department undertaking repair work as part of the divestiture of the wharf to the town.
Further environmental testing, however, was requested by the town in March prior to accepting ownership of the facility.
“We need to do underwater soils testing to ensure there are no environmental implications associated with removal of the dredged material,” the town’s corporate communications manager Tanya Thompson said.
Thompson was unable to confirm whether similar testing was performed the last time the area was dredged 15 years ago, but added the municipality wants to ensure it is being proactive in identifying any potential concerns since environmental standards evolve over time.
Rosaleen O’Mahony of Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the federal agency is in the process of scheduling an environmental site assessment for this summer and that divestiture of the facility remains “a priority” of the federal agency.
Dredging along a portion of Mossington’s wharf at the mouth of the Black River has been an issue for some area residents and businesses dating back to the last time the river was dredged in 2002.
Lake access, navigability and safe passage have been some of the consistent concerns raised by businesses, homeowners, ratepayers, community associations and boaters, as well as those who signed a 2012 petition requesting the dredging not only for property owners along the river who pay premium taxes for lake access, but also for the local business and tourist industry who rely on continued access for tourists.
The wharf will most likely remain closed to the public for this year.
Source: YorkRegion.com
