The final stage of the multi-year, multi-million-dollar Little Current waterfront redevelopment is amongst the projects to benefit from a recent infusion of FedNor money in the North.
The community, located in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI), received $400,000 from the funding agency in March, one of six grants worth $1.9 million for community economic development and small business initiatives across Northern Ontario.
Construction on the $7.4-million project, which runs through Little Current's downtown core, began in 2007, with the final stage expected to be complete by the fall.
“From a broader, Northern Ontario perspective, this type of a development really shows there's a huge attraction, bringing our guests in, not only from southwestern Ontario across on the ferry, but also from southern Ontario into Northern Ontario,” said NEMI CAO Dave Williamson.
The town has seen a dramatic increase in boating traffic over the last four years with dockage fees rising from $50,000 to $135,000, a more than 100-per cent increase.
The project began with the refurbishment of the waterfront docks, followed by the addition of event pavilions, washrooms, showers, and finger docks to expand the boat docking capacity.
A new breakwater doubles as a small cruise ship dock and additional boat slips, while a landscaped parkette offers a rest area with picnic tables.
The final phase of the project, dubbed the linear waterfront trail, extends along the waterfront and through the downtown to the community park, which incorporates a sand beach, playground equipment, a skateboard park, baseball and soccer fields, and an event pavilion.
The plan draws the highway traffic and seasonal residents, as well as boaters and year-round residents.
“From a tourism perspective, it's a huge boom,” Williamson said. “These types of facilities, if you take a look through the boating network, have really expanded the profile of Manitoulin Island, in terms of a place where you come to visit that has the facilities that meets your needs as a guest.”
A full 85 per cent of the project has been funded by FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), with the remaining portion generated through private investors and slip rentals during the boating season.
Additional funding under last month's announcement includes $453,500 for the Great Spirit Circle Trail, based out of M'Chigeeng First Nation, which will be used to develop strategies to attract more tourists to northeastern Ontario; $183,600 for the Town of Gore Bay, which will convert a vacant waterfront building into an artists' hub; $187,602 for the Massey Area Museum, which will create an artisan demonstration and retail sales area in a new multi-purpose facility; and $499,547 for the Town of Blind River to expand its industrial park, and extend water service and road access to the interior of the site.
