November 24, 2009
$35M Reversing Falls plan will take time
Attraction: Officials wants to rejuvenate Saint John's number one tourist spot
SAINT JOHN - The $35-million plan to revitalize Reversing Falls was officially unveiled Monday at the restaurant that carries its name. But the restaurant, as it's known today and the Loyalist Man that greets visitors could become but a memory if common council accepts the proposal.
Bill MacMackin, president of Saint John Waterfront Development, said the plan doesn't call for the money to be spent in one fell swoop.
It calls for the complete redesign to be done over 10 to 15 years.
"Our strategy is to have council adopt this as a master plan," MacMackin said.
After all, MacMackin said, Harbour Passage took 10 years and is still under construction. On Monday, the Reversing Falls Lookout along Harbour Passage was officially opened.
MacMackin said the first phase of the plan will call for the parking at Fallsview Park to be reconstructed and a vendors' park to be built. That will cost about $1 million.
The plans include a name change from Reversing Falls to Fundy's Reversing Rapids.
There will be three areas developed. Fallsview Park will be an adventure area with zip lines running over the water and the jet boat attraction taking centre stage along with an amphitheatre.
The two remaining areas will be on the other side of the bridge where the restaurant and lookout is now. The centre piece of that area will be a more than $10 million interpretation centre that will house a new restaurant. The area will also have a tide tower, marine interpretation area, playground, trails, restaurant and beach access. The existing restaurant will be torn down.
Dan Glenn's company, the Glenn Group, did the design.
"That opens up a view you probably haven't seen here for 100 years," Glenn said of tearing down the existing restaurant.
The site of the current restaurant will become a lookout that will get tourists as close to the water as possible. Much of the current fencing would be removed and replaced with other safety elements to give the illusion that there is nothing between the lookout areas and the water far below.
"It gives you the sense that it's on the edge," Glenn said.
The interpretation centre would be highlighted by a Disney-like ride that would explain the history and wonder of the geological phenomenon and the area.
"They get here and they don't understand what all the hoopla is about," Glenn said about tourists to the area. "They don't get it."
Focus groups that were held in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Boston proved that some sort of explanation was required beyond a plaque, said Glenn.
The Loyalist Man, the icon that welcomes tourists to the area, should also be retired, said Glenn.
"The Loyalist Man doesn't really register with people outside of Saint John," Glenn said.
Depending on the final plan, as many as 20 private property owners will have to be included in the negotiations for the land needed to build the project.
"This is a multi-year project," said MacMackin.