2021-01-13

Conditional deal in place to sell Bridgewater port property

by KEITH CORCORAN

A potential deal is in place that would see the Port of Bridgewater, which owns and operates the former federal government wharf in town, sell the five hectares of its south LaHave Street property to an interested buyer, LighthouseNOW has learned.

The finalization of the conditional real estate transaction won't be known until late February, at the earliest, as either the buyer or seller has to meet certain terms.

The identity of the prospective purchaser is being kept confidential. Whether or not the buyer is a private or public sector entity is also a closely-guarded secret held by port ownership and the real estate firm working on the transaction.

In a November strategic priorities document, the Town of Bridgewater indicated it began closed-door "land/contract" talks with the Port of Bridgewater. The town's chief administrator, Tammy Crowder, said "no" when asked if Bridgewater had a conditional arrangement or understanding - in place or pending - to acquire the property.

The same question received a "no" or "unaware of any such plans," from Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans, a federal government spokesman told LighthouseNOW.

Also secret, for now, is the selling price of the single water and land lots, but the total listing price was $1.2 million, LighthouseNOW learned. The potential deal came to light before the properties were advertised for sale. The combined properties have a total market value assessment of $643,000.

"My dream is it's developed into a multi-use property," Rick Welsford, Port of Bridgewater president, told LighthouseNOW during a phone chat. "I can't say what they're planning to do with it because I don't know."

Welsford said listing the property was planned, although it happened years later than intended, so a new owner could make better use of the amenities. Some of that was accomplished when the marina was established.

He said the real issue now is the potential of two trawlers sinking and/or going loose from the port into the LaHave River. The Ryan Atlantic II (also known as the Cape Rouge), and the Hannah Atlantic, have both been abandoned by their owner and "are much more of a threat than the Cormorant was ... and are more suitable candidates for the [federal] abandoned vessel program," Welsford explained later in an email.

After public pressure and federal government intervention, the former HMCS Cormorant, a much-maligned derelict fixture at the port for some 20 years, was exiled from town in November to a shipyard for dismantling.

Meanwhile, Welsford said the conditional sale has no relation to the current litigation ongoing between the national government and current port ownership.

The port's lawsuit, filed last year, names Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan and the Canadian Coast Guard as defendants. The 'suit alleges, among other things, unlawful interference in port operations and that Ottawa didn't have proper grounds to seize the Cormorant. One aspect of the statement of claim failed; the part where the port sought an injunction prohibiting the removal, selling, dismantling, destroying or disposing of the Cormorant or its contents.

The federal government responded with a motion to strike down the 'suit.

As of January 8, no new documents have been filed in the matter since November.

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