Saint Andrews, N.B., residents raise concerns over Market Wharf infill approach

The Market Wharf refurbishment project in Saint Andrew’s brings up residents’ concerns about issues it could create for the shoreline.

It’s a small agenda Tuesday night for the town council meeting in Saint Andrews, N.B., but one item on the list could take up some time.

Council is expected to take one last look at their options before making the final call on the future of Market Wharf. Last January, council announced plans to refurbish the deteriorating Market Wharf at a price tag of roughly $7 million.

“This has been something that has been discussed in this community now for over six years,” says Mayor Brad Henderson. “This is the decision that was made for the second time a year-and-a-half ago. No matter what happens we’re hoping to have some resolution.”

In a perfect world, Henderson says the project will be put to tender this week to start gauging the truce price tag of the project. The town has $5 million in external funding from various levels of government for the project that expires at year’s end if work hasn’t begun.

Henderson says since announcing plans for the hybrid fix using both steel and infill 15 months ago, there had been little backlash from the public until recently.

While no one in the seaside community is debating the need for the wharf restoration, some residents and business owners have begun to raise concerns over the wharf’s plan as the project nears the finish line.

Resident Cindy Kohler’s storefront is on Water Street, with the wharf sitting as a perfect view out her back window. She says the plan as it’s constructed now will cause a number of issues for herself and neighbouring properties.

Her top concerns include the blocking of natural tidal flows, an increased flooding and erosion risk, and the impact to the environment and marine ecosystem.

“There’s a lot of different options that don’t have to impact the neighbors, other local residents and impact the value of properties,” she says.

Kohler says unless you were following weekly council meetings in town, you wouldn’t know the full extent of the impact the current infill plan for the wharf.

“It’s never been fully discussed, the impact of the whole area,” Kohler says. “It’s only been focused on the wharf and market square and how that benefits people.”

The sentiment is similar from Mac Haynes, who has a cottage along the potentially impacted area.

“Whenever there’s changes to properties in the neighborhood, like a new deck or a new addition, you receive a letter asking for your comments,” Haynes claims. “I’ve never received anything [for this project] like that as a resident.”

The town’s mayor is aware that, like any decision made by council, the wharf plan doesn’t have 100 per cent approval throughout the community.

“You’re seeing social media and what is being communicated isn’t in fact the complete story either,” Henderson says. “That being said, you want to make sure that you’re hearing from all residents, but the reality is the actual project through our engineers has been 100 per cent designed and were set to go to tender.”

Officials are hopeful to begin work on the wharf in the fall to avoid interrupting the tourist season. The work is expected to take seven months to complete.

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