Victoria Park floating dock could go ahead this summer

The chair of Charlottetown's parks and recreation committee says he still hopes to see a floating dockinstalled off the Victoria Park boardwalk this summer.

The city bought the dock last summer for$51,605.

But the plan to install it was put on hold in the fallbecause the city did not have an agreement worked out with the Charlottetown Harbour Authority.

Committee chair Mitch Tweel saidthe city is working on an agreement for this summer, and is getting closer to having it in place.

"We're pretty much there,"Tweel said.

"What happened in the past was it would be an informal agreement with the port authority. But now considering this particular initiative, and other initiatives moving forward, there has to be paperwork so we're formalizing things."

Some residents concerned

Some residents have expressed concern with the plan for the dock, and are unhappy that there was no public meeting before council voted on the plan last summer.

Stella Newman says she likes to go to Victoria Park almost every day, and is concerned about how a dock would affect that experience.

"The parking around Victoria Park is going to be a problem, and also it's going to be an interruption to the people who use the boardwalk,"Newman said.

Tweelsaid the city is looking at parking options, including adding two or threeaccessible parking spots.

Public meeting still possible

According to Tweel, staff said at the time a public meeting was not needed, because the structure is not permanent. However, the city later soughta legal opinionto find out if council had the authority to make that decision.

"We're trying to make sure that everything that we do, we do our due diligence. Sometimes when you're making decisions, new information comes along," Tweel said.

The city has now received the legal opinion, which Tweel said will be discussed by the parks and recreation committee in a private meeting.

Tweel could not say what the legal opinion says, but he said the committee will discuss itand make a recommendation to council about whether a public meeting should be held.

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