The Municipality of Lakeshore is calling for proposals to redevelop the area around Belle River Marina.
Council has modified and approved a Request for Expressions of Interest as they seek proposals for the Lakeshore Spark Project, redevelopment of the pier, the facilities at the Belle River Marina, Lakeview Park West Beach, and Lakeview Park, which already include an ice cream stand and a restaurant on the property.
The town would maintain Lakeshore's ownership of the facilities on the shore of Lake St. Clair but hopes to find a partnership for sustainable and cost-effective solutions to improve the facilities and contribute to the waterfront's vibrancy.
Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey says they want to ignite the entire area.
"We're seeking proposals, both big and small; there's no wrong door here at all to improve the area and certainly spark interest and excitement. We're open to ideas and excited to see what proposals come forward," she says.
Bailey says she's excited for what kind of ideas will be brought forward for this property.
"It allows us the opportunity to cast a wide net, see what the community is thinking, and see whether or not there is a private-public partnership that lets us meet the needs of our residents and design something spectacular here. Spark is really about attracting additional development that's going to ignite further investment in our area," she says.
Bailey says they are looking at all of the space and soliciting all ideas at this point.
"We're looking at that restaurant; there were some thought processes around what it would be like if there were some hotel development, something small that resided up in the air," she says. "What if it was a steakhouse that came and developed that area up and put a restaurant down at the pier?"
Submissions for the RFEOI will be accepted until Sept. 27.
Successful proposals will be scored based on the RFEOI criteria and then presented to council for further deliberation.
Proposals can be submitted through Lakeshore’s online tendering system, Bids and Tenders, or by email at purchasing@lakeshore.ca.