The South Marysburgh Mirror The South Bay Boat Ramp By Sam Lanfranco In 1992 The Township of South Marysburgh, in co- operation with the Prince Edward Regional Conser- vation Authority, established the South Bay Boat Ramp, on public land on the south side of the creek that borders on the South Bay Cemetery, County Road 13, at the north end of the South Bay Crescent road. The ramp and parking encompass about 1 acre of flat land. At that time, construction was assisted by funding from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). With amalgamation, the Prince Edward Re- gional Conservation Authority’s responsibilities were taken over by the Quinte Conservation Authority, and the lands become the property of Prince Ed- ward County. In the two decades since 1992, there has been no maintenance of the site. The County had to be reminded last year that it owned it, and Quinte Conservation apparently knows nothing about the site. This presents an opportunity for several of South Marysburgh’s community groups, along with the County and Quinte Conservation to do some- thing of general and ongoing benefit to the public, and to do so at minimal cost and effort. There is a general agreement that Prince Edward County, with over 800 km of shoreline, has too few places for the public to launch a boat, canoe or kayak in the water, and that the problem is particularly acute in South Marysburgh. With the closure of the Black River Cheese Factory launch ramp there is no public place anywhere along the east side of South Marysburgh other than at Long Point/Point Traverse. The nice things about the South Bay Crescent boat ramp are it’s on public property; there’s a good cement ramp with ample off-road parking; and there’s a natural limit on boat size because of the width of the stream. It will take an outboard boat up to about 16 feet or so. The work involved is quite minor and could be done either this fall or next Spring well ahead of tourist season. It would be a wonderful contribution to small craft water access in South Marysburgh and underscore the relationship between the nearby Mariners’ Park Museum, the history of the region, and the relationship between residents and visitors and the waters of the region. | am going to drive this one forward to completion so it is usable by residents and visitors by next Spring. Then all we will have to do is mow the grass on occasion, either the County crew or volunteers. HULA ELIZABETH CROMBIE I. ROYAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE — apor NT www.pictonhomes.com Pro Alliance Realty, srotsage Frrecrom® INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED 104 Main St., win Picton, ON KOK 2TO Tel: 613.476.2700 Toll Free: 877.476.0096 Fax: 613.476.4883 elizabeth.crombie@sympatico.ca