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Port wharf will be renewed

The old wharf in Port Clements will be getting fixed up over the next little while, with brand new cedar decking, guard rails and risers for the large square area at the end of the dock.Village administrator Heather Nelson-Smith said council decided to renovate the wharfhead area first because it is in the worst shape. The wharf is one of Port's oldest features. Originally built in 1914, it helped propel the tiny settlement into a thriving village, but some of the wood has not been repaired or replaced for the past 40 years, Ms Nelson-Smith said.After reviewing four bids, council voted last week to have two local companies, Abfam Enterprises and Eaglecrest Enterprises, provide 4 x 12 cedar decking, guard rails and risers for a total cost of $67,000.The village is planning to hire local people to install the decking and will decide how to do that soon, Ms Nelson-Smith said.Ms Nelson-Smith said council also intends to re-deck the rest of the wharf but is waiting to see if its Gwaii Trust application is successful. The total cost of the renovation will be around $241,000, she said.The money to buy the cedar decking for the wharfhead is coming from $70,000 left in a wharf fund which was turned over when the federal government transferred the dock to the village. This money has to be spent by the end of November, Ms Nelson-Smith said.The wharf is used by O'Brien and Fuerst for unloading barges, by the Coast Guard, by helicopters which land on the wharfhead and by boats which tie up there when there isn't enough room in the small craft harbour. It's also used by residents and tourists who enjoy the stroll along the wharf out into Masset Inlet.