Louisbourg, N.S. - Synergy Louisbourg, the group behind an $11 million dollar waterfront development project for Louisbourg, has hit an impasse as a result of recent decisions made by the CBRM preventing the group's incremental build from going ahead as planned. Synergy and their strategic partners, however, are not giving up on the project. They will continue to work together to ensure this sustainable vision for Louisbourg's future, built in collaboration with the community, becomes a reality.
The project would provide a desperately needed boost to the local economy by creating jobs, opportunities for entrepreneurship, and growth in the community. Synergy's goal is to encourage tourists to come and spend more time exploring all that Louisbourg has to offer, as well as the National Historic Site. Currently only five percent of visitors to the Fortress of Louisbourg are stopping in the community and this project would turn that around. However, in the absence of the required land and the necessary approvals for the development, Synergy has ceased to expend public funds on further project planning and design.
Project highlights:
▪ New visitor welcome and orientation centre located on the waterfront;
▪ Upgraded pier for recreational boats and a Ferry to the Fortress;
▪ Spaces for artisans and businesses;
▪ Upgraded boardwalk, rebranded as Crabwalk; and
▪ Spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy.
“The plan borrows from ideas that have worked in other coastal communities and the transformation is dependent on changing current visitor patterns so that visitors to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site stop in the community,” says Dan Glenn, landscape architect and planner for the project. He adds, “it creates convenient waterfront access, supplies ample parking and offers unique experiences that currently do not exist in the community such as a Ferry to the Fortress.”
The impasse stems from the following:
▪ Lack of certainty around the land transfer.
▪ The completion of a public participation process approved some time ago by Council to allow the community to voice support or objections to the transfer of the land for this development. Synergy has asked that the process be conducted as soon as possible in the community so as many residents as possible have an opportunity to provide feedback.
▪ Decisions by the CBRM to curb the waterfront development by providing only a portion of the land required for the project and placing limitations on its use which curtail private sector opportunities. These measures threaten the sustainability of the project by limiting it to a visitor centre and removing other income-producing elements.
▪ Inadequate number of parking spaces jeopardises a planned move of the Parks Canada visitor welcome and orientation centre into the town.
▪ A late May decision about the immediate use of the land and buildings for visitor services in 2016, and the limitations placed upon improvements to the buildings, has meant that it is impossible to go ahead and set up visitor welcome services at the location this summer.
“We remain hopeful that the Cape Breton Regional Municipality will reconsider and remove the barriers to this project going forward," says Dorothy Payne, chair of Synergy Louisbourg. “We asked them for their active support and specifically outlined what that meant and we believe that the community is counting on them to do their best to ensure that this much-needed economic development goes ahead now."
Synergy has worked with the CBRM to complete the engineering design and tender package for the boardwalk and pier. With the design completed, this work, which was included in the CBRM's budget for this fiscal year, can now go ahead leaving additional funds to contribute to other elements of the recommended improvements to the waterfront. Synergy hopes to see all of the budgeted funds spent in Louisbourg in this fiscal year.
To learn more about Synergy Louisbourg Development Society and Destination Louisbourg visit www.louisbourg.ca. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact [email protected].
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For more information contact:
Kelly O'Brien
PR & Events Coordinator
Fortress Louisbourg Association
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