Windsor City Council is moving ahead with floating docks at Lakeview Marina, despite a jump in the initial estimated cost.
A consultant pegged the cost at $3-million to accommodate 222 boats, but once the tenders came back, the price tag was closer to $5-million.
Council agreed to spend the additional $2-million with the extra money coming from the federal gas tax funding, reserves and future budget pre-commitments.
Mayor Drew Dilkens says the marina is at full capacity.
"That marina is very well used by people in the community and they pay a fee to rent space at the slips at the marina," he says. "So obviously with high water levels, the marina was entirely closed this year, we couldn't operate the marina because it was unsafe."
Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair have been at record high water levels.
Dilkens says Windsor is not unique to this situation.
"It is also a function of supply and demand, so with the rising water levels we are not the only community in Ontario who is seeing that problem," he says.
The other option would have been to maintain the original $3-million budget, but reduce the number of slips, which would ultimately reduce operating revenues in the future.
The new floating docks should be in place for the 2020 boating season.
--With files from AM800's Zander Broeckel--