City panel will solicit ideas for a marina

5/19/2006

PORT CLINTON - A committee planning the redevelopment of Port Clinton's waterfront has received approval to seek proposals from 70 developers nationwide, with a goal of selecting a plan this fall.

The project calls for a large municipal marina. Last year, the city received $1.25 million from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources toward construction of a breakwall that would protect the proposed facility from Lake Erie storms.

Additional grant money from the state agency is expected to complete the project's $2.5 million funding.

Councilman Debbie Hymore-Tester said yesterday that the timetable calls for tours of the area June 1, followed by the receipt of developers' proposals in July. At that point, the proposals will be narrowed to four, and a selection will be made in the fall.

"We've been talking about this 14 years," Mrs. Hymore-Tester said.

A committee of volunteers has been working on refining the preliminary ideas for two years. The panel submitted its ideas last week to City Council, which met Wednesday in a special session to approve sending out requests for proposals. Some of the developers are from the region, while others are from throughout the country.

Up to 170 boat slips are envisioned, with full utility service at each dock. Most of the work will encompass Water Works Park and part of the Portage River.

The goal of the marina is to offer transient boaters a place to dock near the city's downtown.

"We need some new revenue streams," Mrs. Hymore-Tester said. "Port Clinton needs to be a city of destination."