Amherstburg town council has endorsed the Riverfront Festival Plaza and Marina plan for the former Duffy's Tavern property.
The plan was presented to council Monday night and includes an amphitheatre, gathering spaces, a fishing area and marina.
"The development of the water front is absolutely integral part of what Amherstburg needs to do to move forward," says councillor Michael Prue.
Prue supported the plan and says if the town moves forward with the project, financial assistance will be needed.
"The price tag is probably too high for the residents to pay," says Prue. "There's going to be lots of screams if we start raising the taxes a $1000 on the average home over the next number of years and so that's why I started to ask the questions about finding other ways to find the money."
A proposed amphitheater, community gathering space, marina and other amenities on Dalhousie St. and Gore St. in Amherstburg. (Photo courtesy of The Town of Amherstburg)
He believes the project is still years away.
"I would be absolutely surprised if anything happens before this time next year even the preliminary stuff," says Prue. "I mean you got the First Nations issues, you got the Environmental Assessment, you've got tendering, you've got planning, you've got the hotel going in, you got parking to worry about."
The endorsement of the plan does not mean council has to move forward with the project.
It's part of the class environmental assessment and now will give the town up to 10-years to decide if the project will ahead.
The town purchased the property on Dalhousie St. and Gore St. in 2017.
Currently the budget for the project is in the range of $7 to $8-million.