A proposal to begin building a temporary modular bridge in exactly one week on September 19 has been greenlit as of Thursday morning.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) announced on July 19 that a temporary modular bridge would be built to restore vehicular and pedestrian access.
The proposal from Priestly Demolition Inc., who also handled the recent demolition of the Causeway, was open for comment through the Common Project Search Registry until September 4, and its status was changed to ‘approved’ on Thursday morning.
Public notices were placed last week informing of the proposed plan, which would see work on a temporary modular bridge to replace the Bascule Bridge ready for public use by the end of September, with openings planned once per month midway through each of October and November.
While it’s good news for a number of Kingston businesses who have felt the impact of the closure and commuters who will have another option to get across the river, businesses that rely on access to the waterway have some issues, and questions that remain unanswered.
Marc Ackert, who captains the Kawartha Voyageur for Ontario Waterway Cruises Inc., doesn’t understand why this work couldn’t be pushed off another two weeks when the Rideau Canal would be closed for the season, and says he made that objection known through the comment process.
“I’m really perplexed at the choosing of that date,” Ackert said.
“How did they choose the date? It’s been closed since the 1st of April, what’s two more weeks? The other objection we have is that the vehicular traffic does actually have options… Once they close that to the marine traffic, there is no option. It’s closed!”
Ackert said the permit also included a provision saying that the bridge opening schedule for the 2025 schedule wouldn’t be discussed until late December, and he says that is far too late for businesses to make informed decisions about their upcoming year.
He says the decisions being made are unprecedented.
“A lot of people have to make decisions and plan and schedule in advance, we’re already 60% booked for next year for 12 times going through that bridge,” Ackert said.
“I’ve seen a total of 37 brand new bridges and major retrofits over our waterways… None of them have stopped navigation for weeks on end, none of them. So what makes this bridge in Kingston so special?”
Eric Ferguson, who operates both Kingston 1000 Island Cruises and Kingston Trolley Tours, says while it’s good news for Kingston and for the Trolley Tours side of his business – this modular bridge shouldn’t be coming at the expense of a navigable waterway.
He says while the lack of communication around next year’s schedule is reason for concern, it’s clear that the proposed schedule for October and November won’t be enough for next season, and that boat operators don’t want to dock in the Inner Harbour without more clarity on that.
“There is no other way into the Inner Harbour for boats other than the LaSalle Causeway, that bridge must lift more frequently than they’ve announced so far,” Ferguson said.
“It’s just not feasible to expect that we would go in without knowing when we can get out.”
Earlier this year, local cruise lines almost took to legal action after botched repairs to the LaSalle Causeway forced ships that were expected to be in operation to be moored.
Chris Shelley, who owns General Brock Commissary, says for downtown businesses a 2 week difference is significant, and having access to the bridge again is overdue and has been difficult for businesses to contend with – especially when already contending with trying to rebound from COVID.
He says if the bridge had been closed without tourist season to soak up the loss of east end business, the impacts could have been devastating.
“Tourist season for us is tailing off,” Shelley said.
“Comparing this year to last year, we’re noticing the difference… if this had happened in let’s say October and went over Christmas, it would be deadly.”
Request for comment was sent to PSPC on Tuesday evening, but by end of day Thursday there was no response received, however PSPC did send notice that a media tour of the LaSalle Causeway would be held on Friday September 13 ahead of the work that is set to begin next week.
