Discussions continue over ownership of historic Silver Islet dock

Officials with Canada's department of fisheries and oceans say the agency is in discussions with Parks Canada over a potential transfer of the shuttered main dock at Silver Islet, east of Thunder Bay, Ont.

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada to visit shuttered Silver Islet dock

• Silver Islet dock closure worries harbour manager

• Lake Superior ice amazes Silver Islet kayakers

The over-100-year-old structure, which sits behind the building that housed the community's general store, was closed off in 2013 by Fisheries and Oceans Canada the dock's owner due to concerns over its structural integrity.

The Silver Islet Campers Association had explored the possibility of assuming control of the dock, but the community's harbour master, Scott Atkinson, said, with the establishment of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area nearby, it makes more sense for Parks Canada to own the structure.

"Last year, we had a meeting ... whether the Silver Islet Campers Association would be in favour of Parks Canada taking it over and at that time ... it was basically unanimous that the campers association was certainly in favour of Parks Canada taking the dock over," he said.

The department of fisheries and oceans has been divesting itself of "non-essential," recreational, small craft harbours in order to improve facilities that are crucial to the fishing industry, according to a spokesperson.

"Staff arecurrently in divestiture discussions with Parks Canada and local user groups exploring the possibility of using this harbour as an access point to the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area," Rosaleen O'Mahony said in an email to CBC News, adding that the agency can't divulge further information about those talks so not to influence any divestiture decisions.

• Feds mark $68.2M for small craft harbours across Newfoundland and Labrador

Silver Islet is one of six marine entrances to the conservation area listed by Parks Canada. The mostly-seasonal community, located on the Sibley Peninsula, is minutes away from Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

"Silver Islet is probably the busiest entrance into their ... water park," Atkinson continued. "Because it handles the largest population between Thunder Bay and, of course, the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park."

With the main dock closed, Atkinson said locals have been maintaining the small harbour by putting in small docks and doing work on a gravel slope to serve as a boat launch.

Parks Canada is currently undertaking studies to "determine where and how best to invest in infrastructure," including docking for marine access into the conservation area, a spokesperson said in an email to CBC News. No decisions have yet been made, the agency said.

Atkinson said roughly 250 to 300 boats, including small craft like kayaks, launch from Silver Islet in the summer. He added that the conservation area, plus renewed interest in nearby lighthouses, is bringing more attention and people to the area.

• Canadian Lighthouses of Lake Superior looks for summer students, artists

"It certainly causes some problems," Atkinson said of still not having a proper facility. "Any transient boaters that are coming through, if there's any kind of a problem, they've got this great big, huge barricade across the dock."

"It makes life very difficult."