Bellevue Marina will float boats $18,000 prettier

City council approved $18,000 in funding for the renovations to the Bellevue marina at Monday’s meeting.

City council approved $18,000 in funding for the renovations to the Bellevue marina at Monday’s meeting.

The Bellevue marina (shown in 2006), which has been in operation since 1972, requires repairs and upgrades to the dock and launch ramp along with the replacement of flotation bats and mesh.

The money will come out of the Communities in Bloom Reserve account; which has $21,988 left in it.

Back in 2007 the city established a fund and deposited $6,000 annually to help Sault Ste. Marie compete in the yearly provincial beauty competition.

City Chief Administration Officer (CAO) Joe Fratesi said city staff felt we should have gotten more recognition and the city has since stopped participating.

Decking of some docks, which range from 25 to 35 years in age, needs replacement due to deteriorated wood.

Deteriorated wood and meshing allows muskrats and other animals to nest and as a result they’ve been chewing a part foam floatation bats that now need to be replaced as well.

In a report to council, city staff said a local contractor has estimated the repairs to the docks, including all in-water diving operations, at $18,000.

Fratesi said the marina repairs are representative of an issue the city needs to pay attention to going forward.

“One of the things we need to look at is the need to renew our facilities and while the user fees that we charge should cover all of our operational expenses,” said Fratesi. “Very often they’re not going to cover the renewal of the actual infrastructure and this is a pretty good example of why it’s important we start planning towards that in a more meaningful way.”

Ward 2 councilor Terry Sheehan questioned why the money needed for the marina repairs isn’t being taken out of the marina reserves.

Nick Apostle, Commissioner of Community Services, explained the marina reserve has been depleted said revenues from Bellevue marina have been used to offset losses at Bondar marina.

The Bellevue marina provides 168 seasonal slips (spread out over seven docks) and is our only public boat launch.

It’s open from mid-May through mid-October and is located on 48 Pine Street.

People with questions regarding the marina can contact Virginia McLeod, Supervisor Community Services at 705-759-5311 or [email protected]

Ward 5 councilor Frank Fata asked why our marina plays second fiddle to places like Hilton Beach, Charlevoix and Petoskey.

Apostle said that many boaters wind up bypassing the Sault and the Bellevue/Bondar marinas have a hard time hosting larger boats.

“Certainly we do get some of them, buy do have some competition from across the river,” he said.