App users, tap here to watch video report.
NORTH EAST, Pa. (Erie News Now) — North East Residents are concerned about the future of the North East Marina after the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission removed all electrical service last Fall due to faulty wiring.
The Commission planned on replacing it with a newer, up-to-code electrical system, but supply chain issues delayed the project indefinitely.
Some residents of North East are concerned about the future of the marina, saying without electricity, boaters would dock somewhere else, killing the marina.
“It would be like having a cottage, [but with] no electricity, basically rendering it useless,” said Jake Sander, a boat and slip owner at the marina.
Others are concerned about what the marina’s rocky future could mean for local businesses.
“I have a lot of inventory in the store,” said Dain Washburn, operator of the marina’s facilities, including boat storage and the fishing store. “I wasn’t planning for this to happen. So then I’m going to have to liquidate or take a huge hit.”
Erie News Now reached out to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission for an updated comment on the marina, but they referred to their previously released statement:
“In Fall 2022, during an inspection of the electrical system which serviced portions of the leased dock area at North East Marina, damaged wiring was discovered, and all electrical service was removed from the docks. While determining options for restoring electricity to the docks, the P.F.B.C. was informed that repairs to the existing system were not possible, and the installation of a new electrical system would require extensive infrastructure upgrades throughout the marina to meet modern building code requirements. Materials necessary for the upgrade are currently unavailable due to supply chain issues. The discontinuation of electrical service to the docks is indefinite, and the feasibility of conducting the required infrastructure improvements is being assessed.”
The Commission says the marina itself will remain open.
Leave a Reply