The Bluewater councillor for the ward of Bayfield says merchants in the village stand to lose a significant amount of business this summer because the main ramp for boaters launching their boats won't be available.
Bill Whetstone says the South Shore Marina has been sold to the MTO and the main ramp for launching smaller boats will be closed for the next three years while the bridge over the river is being repaired.
Whetstone says he understands there is a possibility it might open temporarily once in the spring and again in the fall, but adds that will only benefit boaters who leave their boats in Bayfield all summer.
He says he rest of the boaters will have to go somewhere else and if they have to find another marina for the next three years the chances of them staying at their new marina are pretty good.
Whetstone adds it's estimated the marina generates about $3-million in economic development and while it's difficult to say how much of that will be lost, he believes it will be significant.