City's Watson Island news generates favourable review from Provincial election candidates

Watson Island, where politicians dare to comment

This week's news release and accompanying video presentation from the City of Prince Rupert on the topic of Watson Island has found favour with two high profile politicians on the North Coast.

As both MLA Jennifer Rice and Liberal candidate (and former Prince Rupert Mayor) Herb Pond, both offered up their salute to Mayor Lee Brain's video review of the ongoing work at the industrial site.

As we noted on the Blog earlier this week, the Mayor provided a two minute tour of Watson Island making note of a number of items related to the decommissioning of the Industrial site, included in the City's information flow was a news release that filled in some of the details on the work, including the news that the city's Legacy Fund is being used to address any additional costs related to the work, as well as an indication that the process on schedule for completion by the fall of 2017.

The review of the latest notes from Watson Island proved to be a welcome story for both Ms. Rice and Mr. Pond, with both quick to their social media platforms this week to offer their congratulations and support for the job that the City is doing on the project.

The theme of Watson Island hasn't been one that has made much in the way of political conversation in years past, perhaps owing to the legal controversies that have surrounded the site over the last decade.

Whether Watson Island will play a significant role in the campaign is something worth watching, considering how much the former pulp mill site has been somewhat of a hot issue in the past, it's interesting to see both candidates raise the profile of the longest running story on the North Coast.

It's a brave politician that weighs in on the various layers of the Watson Island story, one which still provides for many twists and turns well over a decade after the pulp mill last was in operation, and a place that could still deliver another surprise or two at any time.

The City will no doubt be watching for future comments related to the topic, interested to learn what plans if any either Ms. Rice or Mr. Pond might have to put forward when it comes to potential provincial funding to assist with any issues that may yet need to be addressed from the industrial site.

A look back at the recent history of Watson Island can be found here.

For more items related to the North Coast Election campaign see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review