The opening line of the current Town Talk says a lot: “Beacon Wharf has been a prominent feature of Sidney’s waterfront for over 100 years.” They forgot to mention that the Satellite Fish Market, our iconic blue building that stands so proud at the entrance to our beautiful town, has been a fixture for 60 of that 100 years.
Countless small towns honour their heritage and preserve what made their town a town. Sidney does not, and it is a sad, sad shame. There are many examples of seaside towns on each coast of this country that maintain wharves with structures on them far older than ours.
I have submitted my Beacon Wharf replacement survey and my choice is “other.” I strongly believe Sidney should maintain the wharf/fish market and restaurant for the foreseeable future. There should be no scenario listed that does not include preserving the fish market. The repairs to the wharf, and the subsequent need to bring the fish market structure up to today’s building code must be done.
The waterside entrance to Sidney and that amazing blue building that shouts “Visit our town” is part of our story and one of the (increasingly dwindling) visible reasons that Sidney is Sidney. So many changes over the years, and so many times our town’s history has been erased and flattened to build condos. There must be a measured approach to change and growth that always includes a generous portion of respecting the reasons we are here and why and how we got here.
Sandra Pettinger
Sidney