Waterfront makeover: early phase of five-year plan starts this spring.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: SPECIAL REPORT: THUNDER BAY

The first step in a massive five-year makeover of the former Port Arthur waterfront begins this summer.

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Once the frost leaves and construction begins on a new skateboard/BMX park at Marina Park. It's the signal for an expansive five-phase project to start rolling out.

Thunder Bay is following the trend of harbour revitalizations in Baltimore, Chicago and nearby Duluth, Minnesota in transforming former working waterfronts into people-places.

Generations before, the Port Arthur waterfront consisted of steamship piers, freight sheds and grain elevators.

Through the years, the city has been demolishing and greening over these brownfield lands and reclaiming them for strollers, boaters and festival-goers.

The next grand step is Prince Arthur's Landing at Marina Park.

It's a $126 million 'quality of life' project involving an expanded marina and parkland, condos, hotel, market square and plaza built around the historic CN station.

The city has locked in their $22 million piece. Eventually the province and feds are expected to provide their share.

Two Winnipeg developers are in the running to take on the hotel/condo complex, worth about $60 million.

In March, the city entertained representatives from Sherwood Development, a design-build firm experienced in mixed use developments, and a consortia headed Man-Shield Construction to view the city's plans and tour the waterfront.

Katherine Dugmore, the city's waterfront manager, says both are very keen and have questions about their return on investment.

"It's a process of ongoing negotiation. These are extremely complex projects with lots of public interest and ongoing political involvement."

She hopes one can be selected as early as May

Some temporary boaters' slip replacement work begins later this year, but the major elements of construction should start next spring.

The city is selecting a consultant to draw up more detailed plans for Prince Arthur's Landing, the $44 million public plaza component.

The aim of the project is to be a cool and bohemian drawing card to help attract knowledge-based industries...