The New Brunswick government says the Gagetown Ferry will not sail again, but it’s reassuring others along the St. John River Valley that remaining ferry services aren’t in danger of being scuttled.
“There’s signs placed all over the region that say ‘Save the Ferries.’ Well, there’s nothing to save,” says New Brunswick Transportation Minister Bill Fraser. “The ferries are here. They’re here to stay.”
Fraser promised Wednesday that the river ferry system will not be subject to further cuts and that the ferries currently in operation will stay in operation.
However, he reiterated that the Gagetown Ferry will not return to service.
“I sympathize with Gagetown and the people of Gagetown. We’ve made a difficult and a tough decision as a government, but it’s time to move on and it’s time to present the St. John River Valley in a positive way,” says Fraser.
The New Brunswick government says the province simply can’t afford the Gagetown Ferry, saying it would cost at least $5 million to restore the service.
But area residents like beef farmer Hugh Harmon are skeptical. He says the impact of the loss of ferry service is taking a toll this summer.
“We’re still not going to back down. We want our ferry back and it’s that simple,” says Harmon. “It’s huge. The traffic is just not here, the roadside stands, the restaurants.”
“Our businesses are suffering,” says resident Wilf Hiscock. “We’re now doing a business plan and those that have responded in the past two days, some are down 50 per cent. Others say 40 per cent. And it’s all because we have no ferry.”
But the government isn’t backing down. Fraser says tenders will go out for the sale of the former Gagetown Ferry within a couple of weeks.
Residents say they are now more determined than ever to have the ferry service restored and that more ‘Save Our River Ferries’ signs are on order to be posted in the community.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
