Stakeholders' roundtable

It was a fairly positive meeting, and there was a feeling that progress is being made, albeit slow progress.  City engineering & building dept. staff, and Parks Canada, did not attend.

1: Eric Jokinen (Jokinen Associates) presented a powerpoint of his study of Outer Battery fishing structures.  He'll make the final report available in another 2 weeks and we'll put it up on this site.  Basically, it explored the flexibility permitted under national bldg code for heritage structures, noted important details of our stages & sheds, and drew some larger conclusions.  It will be helpful for anyone restoring stages & sheds.

2: Parking lot expansion information.  City staff were not in attendance to present any details of the $400,000 expansion plan.  OBNA tabled the engineering drawings which the city is distributing to tender bidders.  OBNA strongly requested the 3 city councillors present to insist on landscaping provisions which are not currently being planned by the city (the current plan is for a bunker-like concrete structure).  Deputy Mayor Duff and councillor O'Leary said they would endeavour to do so, and provincial officials later suggested an interesting heritage and visitor-appropriate design.

3: Future storm surge likelihood, rising sea levels study . Federal MP's office advised that a Chain Rock breakwater could present problems for altered water flow through the Narrows.  We asked if it is possible to do a study on possible solutions.
 : provincial representatives were very helpful

7: Proposal for Outer Battery Plan (province).  Provincial reps presented a draft plan for a planning process that would find common ground with neighbourhood, city, and other interests.  Ryan Cleary MP suggested such a plan be expanded to include the Narrows, i.e. embrace Ft. Amherst.  This was positively received around the table, and provincial reps will adapt their suggested plan accordingly.

We await feedback from the city on the parking lot, and from the province on the Narrows plan proposal.  

If you'd like more detailed report, contact any of the OBNA board members.