Post by ferryfast admin on Jan 30, 2012 17:56:14 GMT -5
Canada ferry redux seems to have greater potential: editorial
www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/01/canada_ferry_redux_seems_to_ha.html
Monday, January 30, 2012, 7:59 AM
The concept floats our boat: A ferry service between Cleveland and Port Stanley, Ontario.
It's a smart idea that has been treading water for years, largely because of opposition from Port Stanley residents, who worried about the impact on their small, scenic harbor if it were dredged to handle big truck ferries.
But now that local officials have taken control of the Port Stanley harbor, they're interested -- as long as the project starts small and doesn't involve dredging. Even with that restriction, a ferry is still an intriguing idea.
About our editorials
Plain Dealer editorials express the view of The Plain Dealer's editorial board -- the publisher, editor and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the newspaper.
• Talk about the topic of this editorial in the comments below.
• Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.
• Email general questions or comments about the editorial board to Elizabeth Sullivan, editor of the editorial page.
Now officials at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority and the municipality of Central Elgin, which includes Port Stanley, have selected Indiana-based HMS Global Maritime to determine the feasibility of ferrying people, cars and a limited number of trucks between the home of rock 'n' roll and the home of the world's largest perch.
The deal is still more rhetoric than reality, and time is short if the two sides are to inaugurate a pilot shuttle by 2013.
Crafting a credible business plan will be critical. A $42 million, privately operated catamaran between Rochester, N.Y., and Toronto drowned in a sea of red ink in 2004.
Yet there will be tremendous pluses if the ferry succeeds, advancing the Cleveland port's plan to diversify its maritime base and positioning Cleveland to access nearly $7 million in federal grants. Renewed interest in the project reveals a Cleveland port that finally is focused on finding ways to translate its innovative and ambitious strategies into reality.
The other good news: Toronto is 135 miles from Port Stanley. That's like a half-hour, the way many people drive in Canada.
www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/01/canada_ferry_redux_seems_to_ha.html
Monday, January 30, 2012, 7:59 AM
The concept floats our boat: A ferry service between Cleveland and Port Stanley, Ontario.
It's a smart idea that has been treading water for years, largely because of opposition from Port Stanley residents, who worried about the impact on their small, scenic harbor if it were dredged to handle big truck ferries.
But now that local officials have taken control of the Port Stanley harbor, they're interested -- as long as the project starts small and doesn't involve dredging. Even with that restriction, a ferry is still an intriguing idea.
About our editorials
Plain Dealer editorials express the view of The Plain Dealer's editorial board -- the publisher, editor and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the newspaper.
• Talk about the topic of this editorial in the comments below.
• Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.
• Email general questions or comments about the editorial board to Elizabeth Sullivan, editor of the editorial page.
Now officials at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority and the municipality of Central Elgin, which includes Port Stanley, have selected Indiana-based HMS Global Maritime to determine the feasibility of ferrying people, cars and a limited number of trucks between the home of rock 'n' roll and the home of the world's largest perch.
The deal is still more rhetoric than reality, and time is short if the two sides are to inaugurate a pilot shuttle by 2013.
Crafting a credible business plan will be critical. A $42 million, privately operated catamaran between Rochester, N.Y., and Toronto drowned in a sea of red ink in 2004.
Yet there will be tremendous pluses if the ferry succeeds, advancing the Cleveland port's plan to diversify its maritime base and positioning Cleveland to access nearly $7 million in federal grants. Renewed interest in the project reveals a Cleveland port that finally is focused on finding ways to translate its innovative and ambitious strategies into reality.
The other good news: Toronto is 135 miles from Port Stanley. That's like a half-hour, the way many people drive in Canada.