By Angela MacKenzie - Staff Reporter

Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini accused Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam MP James Moore of "cheap political opportunism" Thursday, after a lengthy public meeting on the Boathouse restaurant development at Rocky Point Park.

The city organized the meeting to address concerns by boaters and park users over the potential impact of the restaurant development, particularly on boat trailer parking spaces next to the popular launch area.

City staff, the mayor, councillors and representatives of the restaurant developer, the Spectra Group of Great Restaurants, attended.

Moore said he came to the meeting to receive more information on the development and at the request of several constituents who had asked him to attend.

He said he had not intended to speak, but did do some "homework" on the issue.

"I'm not opposed to the Boathouse restaurant coming to the city, and coming to Port Moody, but I am opposed to this plan," he said. "I don't think it works."

His comments generated an outpouring of applause from the audience.

Moore said he thinks the issues can be worked out, but questioned the city's reviews on the restaurant, which were completed six years ago.

"The restaurant in Rocky Point report that was done in 1999, the follow-up report in 2000 master plan to implement that report was done in 2000. It's going on six years ago and I think a lot things have happened in the Tri-Cities and lot of things have happened in Port Moody and on the waterfront that I think need to be taken into account that haven't been," he said.

Moore said most residents had assumed the restaurant would be on pilings over the water.

As MP for the past six years, Moore said, he was not once asked to "go to bat" for the city with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to relax regulations to allow a restaurant over the shoreline mud flats.

Moore said there are other more attractive locations for the restaurant.

"Frankly, I think the restaurant will be a bit of an eyesore," he said.

Trasolini responded by saying that the municipal process is different from the federal one.

"The process does not allow us to interfere," he said.

Trasolini said the Conservative government is only now implementing promises made five or six years ago, and no one has asked him what he thinks about those issues now.

Leslie Beckmann, an environmental consultant with Spectra Group, said the DFO wanted to make sure the habitat along the park shoreline was preserved.

City manager Gaetan Royer said the city is recognized internationally for its environmental practices.

He said he would like to hear from environmental stewardship groups on Moore's suggestion to build the restaurant over the water.

After the meeting, the mayor confronted Moore inside the Inlet Theatre about his statements during the meeting, in front of reporters and a small crowd.

"I was offended by your comments," Trasolini said.

Moore insisted he had not been critical. He said that if DFO was limiting the city's choices, the city should call on its MP for help.

Trasolini repeated that the city is not the proponent of the restaurant.

He said it would have been courteous if Moore had called him before the meeting to let him know he was planning to attend.

"I'm a Port Moody resident and I have the right to be heard," Moore responded.

Trasolini said it was a matter of decorum.

Wendy Swalwell, who represents several boating groups, said she felt residents finally got the chance to vocalize their concerns at the meeting.

"I felt it went quite well for us," she said, adding that it was a good opportunity to discuss the issues "eye to eye."

Swalwell said a positive resolution could still be reached on the issue.

"We're hopeful that it's not too late," she said.

Boaters repeated their concerns that plans to change the public parking area surrounding the restaurant will result in traffic congestion, pedestrian safety issues and increased theft of property from the boats at the launch.

Residents are concerned the restaurant will spoil views from the park.

The city has already signed a 30-year lease agreement with the Spectra Group, and estimates it will receive $4.7 million in revenue from the restaurant over the lease term, based on base rent and sales volume projections.

A development permit authorization application is expected to appear before council in the coming months.

The developer hopes to have the restaurant open by next summer.

published on 07/05/2006