Proposed new Wolfe Island ferry dock showing revamped entrance at Ontario and Queen Streets

Downtown Kingston’s last remaining gas station will have to close to make room for the expanded Wolfe Island ferry dock, according to Ontario transportation ministry (MTO) officials.

They say the newly-renovated Shell gas station and adjacent Tim Hortons at Queen and Ontario Streets stand in the way of the proposed new mainland dock.

“We only need a small portion of property. The gas station and Tim Hortons, we will have to purchase that, as well as a little bit of the Queen Street pier,” explained Tina White, senior project manager for the MTO’s eastern region.

The reconfigured dock will see all vehicles enter the ferry terminal from the bottom of Queen Street and cut across the current site of the gas station and coffee shop to a new and larger ferry marshalling area, while vehicles will exit the ferry from the current location at The Tragically Hip Way. A small building, parking for ferry staff and some park space will also be part of the revamped entrance.

The pier itself will be widened and lengthened by about one-third of its current size to moor the ferry further away from shore. Plans also call for the existing terminal building to be demolished and a new two storey building for passengers and staff constructed at the end of the expanded pier. This will create a marshalling space for about 135 vehicles.

Another big change is the removal of all on-site parking for mainland ferry users, the loss of about 50 spaces.

“In order to accommodate parking we would’ve encompassed more waterfront. That wasn’t seen as a good use of land,” said White, who presented the technically preferred dock plans to city council Nov. 21.

Some were surprised to hear the new Kingston dock won’t have room for parked vehicles.

“I’m disappointed to hear that,” said Coun. Gary Oosterhof.

White says creating a two-ferry service between Kingston and Wolfe Island should reduce the need for parking on the mainland dock. “Part of the issue why people park on the dock is because they wait so long for a ferry they like to have a car on both sides. When you have that better service you don’t need to have a car on both sides. I’m hoping the parking will diminish.”

Ferry commuters who still want to park and walk onto the ferry will have to find parking off-site, such as in a municipal lot.

White also laid out plans to expand the island ferry docks in Marysville and Dawson’s Point.

Plans show the Marysville pier will be lengthened to accommodate 74 vehicles in a marshalling area, along with new on-site parking spaces, relocated indoor shelter and the boat launch relocated off site. “The upgrades will give MTO the flexibility of using the dock all year,” said White.

Dawson’s Point, which is currently used as the winter dock, will get 145 parking spaces and larger marshalling area for 85 vehicles waiting to board the ferry.

All three docks will also have ample space to handle bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

White added: “We haven’t spent any money here in the past 30 years. It needs a huge upgrade.”

Local MTO officials say they are eager to start expansion work on all three docks next year in order to be ready when a new 75-vehicle ferry is delivered in December 2020.

“I believe it’s very important to the people of Wolfe Island as well as the ministry. We have a new vessel coming in and we need a place for it to dock,” said White.

It’s part of a recently announced $61 million provincial government investment to design and build two ferries – one for Wolfe Island and one for Amherst Island. The European-built Wolfe Island vessel is expected to be used year round, while the existing 55-vehicle Wolfe Islander III will be also pressed into service during peak times in the summer.

The price to renovate and expand the three ferry docks is estimated somewhere between $25 million and $50 million for each site, depending on final contract awards. And while the final funding is not yet in place it is a priority for the MTO, White added.

“Funding for this is currently on the (MTO) southern highways program, which is what the provincial government says what it’ll do over the next five years.”

The project is still undergoing final designs and an environmental assessment before any construction or land purchases can take place.

White explained: “We’d like to have a (construction) tender in place in late 2018.”