NOTL's Melville Street dock may open this summer

The Melville Street dock may open for public use this summer, a site previously operated by a private jet boat operator.  

Councillors approved opening the dock at Tuesday’s committee-of-the-whole general meeting, following a motion put on the floor by Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa.  

On the agenda was a report detailing costs associated with reopening the facility, which staff said comes with a price tag of about $55,000.  

Coun. Wendy Cheropita asked why the work isn’t simply being covered by the wages of town staff — the report says there are no town funds currently assigned to reopening the docks.  

Parks and recreation manager Kevin Turcotte said some elements of the opening could be “relieved” by the town doing the work, but there are elements of what needs to be done that will need to be paid for, such as the decommissioning of a fuel tank at the site, and costs associated with waste management and concrete removal.  

Interim chief administrative officer Bruce Zvaniga explained the full price tag of $55,000 wouldn’t be the final number once it’s reduced by town work, and the whole amount was included in the report for accounting purposes.  

A number of councillors, such as Couns. Erwin Wiens, Sandra O’Connor, and Maria Mavridis, all inquired about costs being paid for by the former jet boat operator at the site. 

“We have undertaken conversations with our legal counsel,” replied Zvaniga. 

But to ensure the dock is used this summer, the town needs to put the money up first. “If we wish to have this open for this season, we will have costs before we would have recovered any costs,” said Zvaniga.  

The Melville Street dock and the jet boat operation licence agreement have been a hot topic in recent years, but mostly behind closed doors. Jet boats have been noticeably absent from the Old Town waterfront for about five years, beginning the move in 2018. He hasn’t used the dock since 2020.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Coun. Gary Burroughs asked about the federal government having a financial role in the site, which Turcotte said he was unaware of but is something staff can inquire about.  

Wiens asked about a dock area master plan from 2015 that discussed the potential for amenities, such as floating docks, kayaks and canoes.  

Turcotte said RiverBeach Park has since been determined to be a “more ideal location” for those activities.  

Council is expected to approve the opening of the dock at its next meeting.