Unfortunately, boat owners will still have to wait to see a solution to the North Hatley pedestrian bridge, which makes it difficult and dangerous for boats to cross, especially when the water rises.
In fact, this season, many people are looking for an alternative solution – a dock on the other side of the bridge. En effet, le pont piétonnier est dangereux pour tous les plaisanciers. The pedestrian bridge is dangerous for all boaters. And don’t forget a roof or a fishing rod, because you’ll break everything at once.
We’ve had passengers injure their arms when going under the bridge, trying to move the boat away from the bridge to prevent it from smashing.
Obviously, if you have a pontoon with a roof, you’ll need to lower it every time you pass under the bridge. That means leaving the marina, but also entering it. If you’ve ever removed a camper top from a pontoon or even a half-camper top, you’ll know that it’s simple, but time-consuming all the same. With a pontoon at the North Hatley marina, you can’t go under the bridge with your roof. And even when the waters rise, you can’t get through at all.
Some boaters will venture to pass to the left of the pedestrian bridge at the marina exit. Watch out for the propellers, they break easily and cost over $200 each time. Well, it’s cheaper than scratches on the hull or sides of a boat or pontoon. We’re talking here about several thousand dollars to repair and paint.
Despite numerous complaints and requests from citizens and marina tenants to find a solution to the North Hatley pedestrian bridge, the bridge remains. Yet a number of groups have come up with simple, practical solutions to this problem.
Of course, now that the Municipality of North Hatley is responsible for dock rentals, the thought process is likely to accelerate, since the 2024 season seems to have been relatively weak in terms of dock rentals. And, the more people know about the situation and the fact that they risk breaking their boat or not being able to go out on the lake on the best days of the summer, they’ll go and rent elsewhere. Paying $3,000 for a dock when you have to swim at the foot of your boat moored at the marina dock is not pleasant at all. More and more people are spreading the word and mooring their boats elsewhere.
Of course, the marina will always be able to offer service to smaller boats that can easily pass under the bridge. As the pontoons are very popular, this clientele is likely to head for Ayer’s Cliff. This is unfortunate, as it directly affects the village’s downtown and its merchants, who see customers leaving for the other side of the lake or for Lake Memphremagog.
Maybe the municipality will make some changes soon, let’s hope! In the meantime, caution is advised when passing under the bridge.
