Town of Sidney staff are recommending the town keep Beacon Wharf as is for now and leave the door open for further discussion before the end of the structure’s lifespan.
In a report summarizing the results of the Beacon Wharf survey, circulated by council to get a sense of what the community wanted to do with the aging structure, staff recommend maintaining the wharf as long as possible and not replacing it.
The report, which will be delivered to council Monday night, said while the option to maintain the wharf and not replace it did not get majority support from survey respondents, it was the option most widely supported.
“More importantly, it leaves the door open for additional consideration and analysis prior to the end of the wharf’s lifespan.” the report said. “This could include further consideration of ways to retain a sense of community heritage along the waterfront, once the wharf reaches the end of its lifespan.”
The survey asked residents which of two options they preferred: replacing the current Beacon Wharf with a floating wharf built with a private-public partnership, or maintaining it as-is and not replacing it at the end of its life.
It also offered a write-in option where residents could offer other suggestions.
The staff report noted the survey received nearly 1,100 responses and the public engagement on the issue has created a high level of awareness around the challenges surrounding the future of the wharf.
It also suggested that taking a pause on any action to do with the wharf would be healthy for the community.
“People can rest assured that the floating wharf option will not be proceeding, and therefore the wharf may be maintained for as long as feasible,” it said. “The wharf should be reassessed on a regular basis and a future council may determine how much to invest in repairs to the wharf to keep it going.”
The wharf, which extends from the end of Beacon Avenue and houses a fish market, restaurant and lookout, has been a staple in the town from more than 100 years.
It had its last major renovation 60 years ago, and has had more than $400,000 plowed into it to make it safe since Sidney took control of it from the federal government in 2006.
An engineering report had found the wharf would need a massive investment to extend its life beyond 2028.
Cost estimates for replacement ranged from $10 million to $17 million.
In the report, staff noted that of the nearly 300 people who preferred options other than the two proposed by the Town of Sidney, 234 wanted to maintain or rebuild the wharf in substantially the same form as it exists today, 40 expressed a desire for a new fixed wharf, and 20 were open to the idea of a floating wharf but without a public-private partnership.
Staff pointed out there were also 132 comments received about maintaining the fish market and the restaurant.
The second most frequent comment was an objection to a partnership with a private party. There was a strong desire to keep the wharf and the waterfront public, staff said.
