For many Niagara residents, Port Dalhousie is a nostalgic place, filled with memories of strolling along the pier with family and friends, taking iconic photographs of the lighthouse, riding the carousel at Lakeside Park, or getting ice cream on Main Street.
However, for most residents now, Port Dalhousie is an in-progress restoration project that needs attention. While many aspects of the area are still vibrant, flooding and natural erosion have left some concerns for the region.
The Port Dalhousie pier has been closed off to the public since Spring 2017 due to its unsafe and delapitating foundation. At that time, many parts of the area were subject to high flooding, which also caused damage.
Luckily, the Canadian government has heard these concerns and is getting ready to help Niagara.
2018 federal budget includes support for Port Dalhousie
Niagara’s MPs and mayor Walter Sendzik have announced that the official federal government budget for 2018 has allotted some funding for the pier. In fact, the pier is outlined as one of four priority projects in the budget plan.
The budget will also allot funding for some other projects in Niagara, including infrastructure building and investment in social programs. The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, also known as FedDev, has also received an increase in investment by the government, which will help to boost local businesses, job creation, and much more.
Rebuilding the Port Dalhousie Pier will take time
According to officials and experts, the pier needs to be completely rebuilt as it is rotting underneath. It is no longer simply a matter of filling in holes or adding more reinforcement to the base. Now, it’s time for a rebuild.
It is a problem we have seen before. The pier has been blocked off to the public multiple times on and off in the past, with a fix applied each time. However, after the flooding that occurred last year, it has remained closed indefinitely.
The municipality has received $600,000 in emergency funding in the past to fix the pier, but the situation is becoming much worse and residents are eager to have their pier up and running for everyone to use.
Estimates have put the cost of rebuilding the pier at around $30 million, to be provided by the budget.
Building Niagara tourism
Port Dalhousie is a major hub for the Niagara tourism industry, as visitors come every year to enjoy this heritage district. The pier is an integral part to that experience, and is used by people from all walks of life, from tourists to local fishing enthusiasts and boaters.
If you are looking to invest in a Niagara tourism property, now is the perfect time to start your search. The more attention Niagara gets from the federal government, the more the region is able to provide services to the population to help grow the economy.
