I am the manager of a hotel in Crawford Bay. Tourist traffic is very slow these days because for the third week in a row our only connection to Nelson is the 64-year-old MV Balfour. The more modern MV Osprey sits idle because it cannot negotiate the narrows coming into Balfour. With up to five-hour waits to cross the lake, people here are missing doctor’s appointments, kids activities, shopping etc. A sign in Creston warns travellers to expect delays. In 2016, the last of three studies was finished, all of them stating that to relieve congestion and increase traffic flow, a new ferry terminal should be built in Queen’s Bay. With the aid of MLA Michelle Mungall, Balfour/Queen’s Bay raised such a stink opposing this move that the MOT elected to leave the landing in Balfour. Although several meetings about this took place on the North Shore, not one meeting took place here. A $9,000 discretionary grant to oppose the move was obtained from the RDCK and people in ferry lineups were canvassed for petition signatures opposing the move. Almost all of those who signed were tourists with no understanding or stake in this issue.
We are now faced with dredging the narrows or the Osprey will continue to drag on the bottom and suffer ongoing hull damage. Although there are now proposals to improve the Balfour landing, it is too small and traffic is forced onto the highway. A similar dangerous situation exists in Kootenay Bay as trucks are unable to access the runaway lane on the 8 per cent approach grades. Building a new landing in Queen’s Bay would create dozens of jobs for years during construction and cut the current 35 minute crossing to 18 minutes, all in deep water. There would also be a huge reduction in fuel use and carbon footprint. Right now the economic well being of this entire area is being sacrificed for the sake of a few individuals. What happened to the greater good?
Paul Hindson,
Crawford Bay