HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – A new designated public fishing area along the Maitland River is meant to replace a spot at the end of the north pier where fishers would drop their lines in hopes of snagging perch.
Access to the north pier was restricted after the tornado in August 2011.
In addition to the south side of the north pier, fishers will be given access to the river at a spot in line with the old search and rescue building. The double retainer wall will be opened and graded, Larry McCabe, who is the town’s clerk and chief administrator, told council Monday night.
As part of an agreement passed at council Aug. 13 to lease nearly 20 acres at the north pier to Sifto Canada Corp., the town agreed to limit access to roads from the north and west. Access will be be restricted to a specific list of users doing business in that area of the pier.
“It was clear when the new agreements were negotiated there were restrictions in that area but there were other things that would be done that would provide fishermen with access that they didn’t have before,” he said.
McCabe cited current activity to repair damage from the tornado and anticipated increased industrial traffic as reason for restricting public access to the road that runs behind the salt mine.
McCabe’s comments came after local resident Angela Gibson asked council to allow fishing where she and her three children had regularly fished. She said accessible fishing draws tourists to Goderich.
She also requested public representation on the Goderich Port Management Corporation, which was established in 1999 when the town bought the port from the federal government. The not-for-profit corporation of port users operates the port on behalf of the town, relying on user fees to manage day-to-day operations.
User fees are also directed to a trust fund for capital projects, which require approval from town council.
McCabe said the public was represented by council.
Mayor Deb Shewfelt, who is the town’s mayor, said the boats that come to load salt and grains also attract tourists, who park their cars to watch the loading process.
The town plans to install a webcam at the lighthouse on top of the bluff for 24-hour viewing of the harbour activity.
6 Comments on "New public fishing area at Goderich harbour in the works"
So basically what Larry is saying is the public users of the Harbour are nothing but an after thought; a distance second in the name of industrial progress. The area that is being proposed as a replacement to the west side of the north pier is useless as far as fishing goes and still does not give any view north down the lake. The area proposed would have fishermen and visitors walk across train tracks to access the area (much safer than parking off to the side away from any traffic where they used to!), if I recall correctly the reason we can’t access previous areas is safety. As far as fishing that area if by chance a fisher person did catch a fish in that area there is no way to get a fish of any size up the 20ft wall Larry proposes they fish off of. This is nothing but a very poor attempt to make it look like the public was taken into consideration during the planning of what is to take place at the Harbour, and as far as Deb Shewfelt’s comment on the tourists watching the ships load and unload that has absolutely nothing to do with access to the wonderful area we used to have on the south side of the Maitland River.
I agree whole hearted with Nathan. BUT it needs to be taken further. The council of the town of Goderich needs to take a broader look at the whole waterfront on the north side.(PERIOD) They have taken away another VERY IMPORTANT part of the harbour. The launching ramp. They need to be at the only launch ramp on a hot busy day. It becomes a three ring circus for boat owners trying to launch their boats at a very unsafe launch ramp. There is next to no parking for their vehicles and boat trailers. Having a boat in the local marina gives you a front row seat to the circus. We have seen vehicles with trailers parked on the grass adjacent to the train tracks. This is an accident looking for a place to happen. It is TIME for our council to start showing some respect to the taxpayers of this town, NEVER MIND the tourists. They are driving the tourists away from the water.
Mayor Shewfelt, who is also Chair of our very own Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, would sooner be away doing his political posturing thing than spending time providing some serious leadership right here in our Town.
I have scheduled a Goderich Harbor document review (lease agreements, financials, etc) with Larry McCabe scheduled on October 12th, 2012.
I have requested the below questions be added to the Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Goderich Council scheduled agenda.
What reviews have the Goderich Town Council done/requested for the Publics interests in the Goderich Harbor Expansion project?
Why are there no plans to include the public/tourist access to the Goderich Expansion Project – Goderich Town Council as the public?
I will continue to assist the public in speaking out.
Other interest in the Goderich Public being a part of the proposed Goderich Expansion Project:
Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario
The Honourable Michael Gravelle, Minister of Natural Resources
Provincial funding is the tax payers money too!
Keep up the great work, and together the public will be heard!
Angela Gibson
I agree with comments above…1st off, a retaining wall if i’m not wrong is for retaining…so plan as I see it is to break out chunk of “retaining wall” and building ramp down to water for fisherpersons to reach a relativly poor area of river….so what is going to retain area previously retained by wall no longer there?…..2ndly….Mayor Shewfelt made some very disparaging remarks about timing and the very fact of Sifto employees going on strike…we are now very aware of his allegiances and the fact of how he feels about us…the 400 strong(+families) who work as part of CEP 16-0…hope no one runs against you….also..was amazing what was found when County did an outside audit…maybe time for Goderich to do same???
I have a question…just a simple one.
Quoting the report above:
“Mayor Deb Shewfelt, who is the town’s mayor, said the boats that come to load salt and grains also attract tourists, who park their cars to watch the loading process.”
In whose understanding or the term ‘economy’ does parking a car to watch loading and unloading qualify as tourism? I may be in error, but it appears that ‘Mayor Deb Shewfelt, who is the town’s mayor’ would like to imply an economic benefit without providing the research to back it up. I respectfully suggest that ship watchers are predominantly local residents enjoying this aspect of our culture. This is not tourism, within my understanding of the term.
Respectfully
Deb Baxter