Loyalist Township gets delegation with Minister of Transportation – Kingston | 24CA News
Just like residents of Wolfe Island, customers of the Amherst Island ferry are nonetheless ready anxiously for his or her new and bigger ferry to return into service.
Construction on the Amherst Islander II was accomplished all the best way again in 2020, however as 2023 begins eyeing 2024, the brand new ferry sits idle within the water, unused.
Some folks, like longtime island resident Valerie Wolfreys, say it’s time to get it going.
“Facebook, it has a lot of information on there, and all of the people on there that are complaining. It’s time-consuming to sit and wait for hours for the ferry,” stated Valerie Wolfreys, a longtime Amherst Island resident.
Loyalist Township Deputy Mayor Nathan Townend understands the frustration that residents really feel.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback from residents lately, largely on social media for instance, and people are expressing frustration at the lack of information, frankly, but also the lack of, what is perceived as the lack of progress,” stated Townend.
Due to this inundation of “feedback”, Townend put out a press release on Monday to replace his constituents with what he can.
In half, the assertion learn:
“I can assure residents that Township staff are working diligently to address all remaining issues, many of which are complex and challenging”
The assertion additionally included news that Loyalist Township council representatives, a lot the identical as Frontenac Islands Township council, have secured a delegation with Minister of Transportation, Caroline Mulroney, at subsequent week’s Association of Municipalities, or A-MO, convention, which takes place in London, Ont., over three days starting Sunday.
Townend referred to as the event “significant and encouraging.”
In a press release despatched to Global News, the MTO stated:
“We are mindful that the community of Amherst Island is eager to see the Amherst Islander II in service and the ministry is working collaboratively with the township to meet this goal. We want to assure you that we are working diligently to ensure its safe operation can commence as soon as possible to meet the needs of these communities.”
Townend stated that council has accomplished quite a lot of prep work forward of their face-to-face with Minister Mulroney.
“We anticipate that will provide some concrete steps forward for us. We’ve submitted documents, that is the township has submitted documents, to the minister’s office outlining how we see a tangible, constructive way forward to get the boat in service,” he stated.
Whatever the plan is, Wolfreys simply hopes it comes quickly.
“We don’t want to go back to the Quinte-Loyalist,” Wolfreys stated. ” That’s a small ferry, solely holds about 18 vehicles.”
In the interim, Townend is asking residents for persistence.
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