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Port Colborne staff are hosting a public information session about the city’s cruise ship initiative on Thursday, Apr. 7, 2022, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the L.R. Wilson Heritage Research Archives, 286 King Street, in person and via Zoom.
In person attendance will be capped at 15 spaces and can be reserved by emailing tourism@portcolborne.ca or calling 905-835-2900 x505, while others wishing to join via Zoom can reserve their space online. Attendees to the public information session can expect:
- An overview of Great Lakes cruising and the city’s cruise destination business case
- Answers to frequently asked questions about the 2022 cruising season
- An overview of the future of Port Colborne as a cruise ship destination
- Bruce O’Hare of Lakeshore Excursions and Stephen Burnett of The Great Lakes Cruise Association will be in attendance to assist in answering attendee questions.
For more information about this meeting, including a complete agenda, visit www.portcolborne.ca/cruiseships.
The cruise ship initiative is part of the city’s overall vision of being a vibrant waterfront community. A key piece of infrastructure tied to the cruise ship initiative, intended to anchor the area and spur new investment, is the new waterfront centre. A project review team comprised of various department staff has been evaluating architect and engineering proposals and plans to present council with a recommendation at the Apr. 12, 2022, council meeting. A waterfront project update staff report was included on the Mar. 22, 2022 council meeting agenda, outlining a financing strategy that estimates the entire project to cost $5.6 million. Applications to several funding programs have been submitted in an effort to secure federal and provincial capital contributions.
At the council meeting on Mar. 22, 2022, NPG Planning Solutions, represented by principal planner Mary Lou Tanner, walked council through a presentation that provided the community with a visionary look into the future of Port Colborne’s waterfront. Showcasing a high-level design concept that incorporates current initiatives with new ideas for redeveloping lands to the east and northeast of Sugarloaf Marina, calling it the “Marina District”, aerial images of the area showed a continued integration of recreational, commercial, industrial, and residential uses.
“The city wants to start a conversation with the community and key stakeholders on what Port Colborne’s waterfront could potentially look like, and that starts with our public information session on April 7,” said Gary Long, manager of strategic initiatives. “We look forward to productive discussions around ways to revitalize what could be the city’s most valuable attraction.”
On top of highlighting the possibilities that waterfront redevelopment can offer, staff report 2022-59 pointed to the upgrades taking place this year at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park and Sugarloaf Marina, investments in broadband and public Wi-Fi, improved connections and pathways between the downtown and waterfront, and a West Street renewal project.
For more information about the city’s waterfront initiatives and/or to subscribe to updates, visit our webpage.
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