The City of Prince Rupert believes Rushbrook Harbour is in need a facelift.
Coun. Joy Thorkelson brought the topic to council last week, stating when compared to other facilities in the province, Rushbrook Harbour is in rough shape.
“I don’t want to make anyone think our floats aren’t safe. What I’m saying is that they are not up to the tourist standards that the other floats [are],” she explained.
Thorkelson visited various floats on Vancouver Island this summer and said the community’s main tie-up floats are “the absolute worst”.
“We need to talk to the Port Edward Harbour Authority about spending some money beautifying our main float,” she said.
“If we’re going to be putting city money into fixing up the boat launch, we should be looking at that.”
According to Thorkelson, Rushbrook Harbour is not as user-friendly as the other floats she visited this past summer for a number of reasons, including limitations on its facilities.
“People are defecating along the trail because on the weekends and in the evenings the washrooms are closed there, and people are down there working on their boats,” she said.
Members of council agreed the city should have a discussion with the Port Edward Harbour Authority on making improvements to Rushbrook Harbour, as well as highlighting its concerns with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Small Craft Harbours program, which provides funding to the harbour authority.
