HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L. — People who use the dock in Happy Valley-Goose Bay were surprised to find a gate they usually use to gain access to the provincially owned property locked a few days ago.
Some shipping containers had been moved to one of the corners of the dock, creating a narrow corridor for users to gain access to the area.
Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper says the contractor who uses the dock, Labrador Marine Inc., limited access to the area to make changes to the way it loads freight onto the Kamutik W ferry.
“We have a variety of stakeholders there who were not consulted. I wasn’t consulted, so we had no notice this was an issue, and this was a desirable project for the ferry,” he said.
Trimper said the contractor has modified the way it loads freight onto the ferry and that’s why the gate was locked. They do have a solution that he hopes will work for everyone, he said, which is expanding the corridor to about 30 metres wide, allowing users to access that section of the dock.
“That’ll provide public access for boats large and small, and visitors to come in and tie up,” he said. “The mid-size boats that come in require a bit of space for refueling and stuff like that.”
Trimper said Labrador Marine does lease the majority of the dock, but in the past it hadn’t needed to limit access.
There are fewer than 20 mid-size boats that use the dock in Happy Valley-Goose Bay each year. One of those boats belongs to George Rodgers, who has been using the dock for about 12 years.
“The public have used this wharf for 50 years,” he said. “Now the contractor wants to use it for themselves, and I don’t believe they should be allowed to do that. They shouldn’t be allowed to interfere with everybody else.”
He said moving to a wider corridor and having the 30 metres of dock is an enhancement from a few days ago, but he’s skeptical that will be enough room.
“Once one boat comes in and onlookers show up parking there, how’re we going to get access to our boats? It’s not enough space. It’s an improvement, but it still won’t work.”
Rodgers said the fishing season is about to begin, and people will soon start utilizing the dock more and more.
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