HOPA - Hamilton & Oshawa Ports: Ian Hamilton, President and CEO of the amalgamated Port Authorities made a presentation to a City of Oshawa Working Group yesterday.
He and Larissa Fenn, Director of Public Affairs, both spoke with sincerity and passion and about the plan:
to develop what has been an underutilized Port in Oshawa into one which Oshawa residents can be proud of;
to collaborate with economic and development teams at the City and Region of Durham to ensure not only HOPA's operations in Oshawa are transparent, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and a huge vibrant economic driver for the area; but also to ensure commitment to communication and have the best Port-City relationship in the Country!
They spelled out priorities moving forward, the need to invest $15 - $20 million out of the gate, with focus on:
1. Road access
2. Extending the dock wall to allow two ships to load or unload concurrently
3. Dredging
4. Improve lighting
Beginning this week a survey of the Oshawa portlands
and an facility maintenance audit are underway..
After outreach in the past couple months to many City staff, Council members, agriculture and industry stakeholders, and private citizens knowledgeable about the harbour and its history, they stated their understanding of what issues are important to stakeholders:
HOPA has applied for funds split on a 50-50 basis between the Federal government and the Hamilton Port Authority's own reserves.
The Solio agricultural grain silo/elevator at the Oshawa harbour is the next big development for the Durham agricultural community. Crop farmers will no longer have to truck grain to Hamilton or Port Colborne.
In Hamilton they started with a single Silo ten years ago and have seen it grow to a Billion dollar agricultural industry.
The also spoke of engaging the community, having walking tours, boat tours, announced they will have a display at the upcoming Oshawa Downtown Business Improvement Area 'Merry and Bright' festival November 15 and 16th. Also they showed pictures of the interface where the portlands come right against the city of Hamilton parkland, where they have done landscaping, fences and murals 'to soften the interface'. They plan to introduce such measures here, so the public can see and appreciate living in a Port city.
He and Larissa Fenn, Director of Public Affairs, both spoke with sincerity and passion and about the plan:
to develop what has been an underutilized Port in Oshawa into one which Oshawa residents can be proud of;
to collaborate with economic and development teams at the City and Region of Durham to ensure not only HOPA's operations in Oshawa are transparent, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and a huge vibrant economic driver for the area; but also to ensure commitment to communication and have the best Port-City relationship in the Country!
They spelled out priorities moving forward, the need to invest $15 - $20 million out of the gate, with focus on:
1. Road access
2. Extending the dock wall to allow two ships to load or unload concurrently
3. Dredging
4. Improve lighting
Beginning this week a survey of the Oshawa portlands
and an facility maintenance audit are underway..
After outreach in the past couple months to many City staff, Council members, agriculture and industry stakeholders, and private citizens knowledgeable about the harbour and its history, they stated their understanding of what issues are important to stakeholders:
- respecting buffer zone on HOPA east boundary (the protection of it is right in the Letters Patent), and maintain open consultation with Friends of Second Marsh
- compatibility of recreational boating with port operations, which they indicated will require more conversations. Although Mr. Hamilton intimated a boat launch should be doable. (Side note: The Hamilton marina is owned by the City of Hamilton, but the Port Authority has a contract to manage and maintain it. Currently the HOPA Letters Patent do not provide for HOPA to operate a marina in the Oshawa Harbour. That said, Mr. Hamilton did indicate there is the possibility the Letters Patent on this point could be altered.)
- types of uses compatible with adjacent parkland and residential areas
- assurance there would be no ethanol plant. to which Mr. Hamilton emphatically gave his assurance
HOPA has applied for funds split on a 50-50 basis between the Federal government and the Hamilton Port Authority's own reserves.
The Solio agricultural grain silo/elevator at the Oshawa harbour is the next big development for the Durham agricultural community. Crop farmers will no longer have to truck grain to Hamilton or Port Colborne.
In Hamilton they started with a single Silo ten years ago and have seen it grow to a Billion dollar agricultural industry.
The also spoke of engaging the community, having walking tours, boat tours, announced they will have a display at the upcoming Oshawa Downtown Business Improvement Area 'Merry and Bright' festival November 15 and 16th. Also they showed pictures of the interface where the portlands come right against the city of Hamilton parkland, where they have done landscaping, fences and murals 'to soften the interface'. They plan to introduce such measures here, so the public can see and appreciate living in a Port city.