Freedom Tours calls for mini-makeover of Reversing Falls

A proposed multi-million dollar upgrade of the Saint John Reversing Falls area isn't among the city's current priorities for capital spending, however, the head of a local tour company says small fixes could drastically improve the sitewhile it waits for its big makeover.

Ellen Tucker, president of Freedom Tours and Travel in Saint John, says the rundown shoreline is discouragingto localguides.

"I think we all take a deep breath when we're about to take a coach-load of people there," Tucker said Wednesday on CBC'sInformation Morning Saint John.

"This year it's particularly bad Now, it's almost derelict. It's really a sad looking place," she said.

"It doesn't cost much to go in with a whipper snipperand clean it up, and adjust the fences and paint themthat would be a tremendous help. All we ask is that it's cleaned up."

Saint John Waterfront Development has a $36-millionplan to revamp the area around the old Reversing Falls Restaurant.

It would include a "Reversing Rapids" rebranding,look-out plaza built on the site of the old restaurant, trails, another viewing area closer to the water, and even a tidal clock to help people plan their visit.

But on Monday, Mayor Mel Norton said that kind of spending is just not in the works for the near future.

And there are no financialcommitmentsfrom the provincial and federalgovernmentstodate.

Should requirelicensed guides

Tucker says in the interim, it wouldn't take a lot of money to sustain the site for the season.

"It can be cleaned up so easily," she said. "We can't ignore it, we've got to feature it."

Tucker says tour companies also have a role to "mitigate the bad parts" by focusing on the natural phenomenonof the rapids, and stories of the area.

The city could assist byrequiring that only licensed guide lead tours in the city,she said.

"Our city has so much history And if people don't know that, the people visiting here aren't going to understand what our city is about," said Tucker.

"If we don't have peopleproperly trainedand really know the history, it's totally lost."

The rapids arecreated by the Bay of Fundy. When the tide is full, water is forced into the St. John Riverthrough a narrow passage. When the tide is low, the fresh river water flows into the bay. Powerful currents create standing waves and swirls on the surface.