Parry Sound councillors are urging town staff to do everything they can to keep cruise ships coming to town.
A report from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) indicates that the town dock has deteriorated and can no longer accommodate large cruise ships until repairs are made.
The Pearl Mist has been forced to use alternate locations and taxi people to downtown.
Coun. Doug McCann said that while Pearl Mist officials have tolerated the inconvenience this year, they probably won’t be willing to again next year. At a meeting on July 16, he urged staff to continue to work at finding a solution.
“It is all about saving the cruise ship industry here in our port,” he said. “It is very competitive. There are other towns and ports on Georgian Bay that would love to have the business we have been enjoying.”
According to Clayton Harris, the town’s chief administrative officer, staff are currently working with local engineers and cruise ship officials in hopes of coming up with a solution.
In the meantime, engineers are also working on designs for the needed concrete deck and bollard repairs, which are estimated to cost around $600,000.
The hope is that, with funding, those repairs can be made the spring of 2025, according to Harris.
“We all understand the importance of the cruise ship industry to council and we are doing our best to meet that,” he said.
