It’s right in the name; the town of Lewisporte is a port town. 

Now the community is hoping the acquisition of its large wharf will bring back some of the marine traffic it lost over the years.

Last month, the province announced it was handing over ownership of the wharf and large parcels of land to the town — along with a grant of $10 million. Half of the money will be used to refurbish the wharf and the remaining $5 million will be spent on future economic development projects.

“We feel that the port is Lewisporte, really,” said Mayor Krista Freake. “It’s employed hundreds of people over the years. And while the service that it’s traditionally known for has gone, we feel we can market this port to increase economic development in this community.”

In its heyday, Lewisporte provided a marine link to Labrador, bringing with it regular freight, passenger traffic and hundreds of jobs. That service started to wane with development of the Trans-Labrador Highway in the 1990s.

Perry Pond, chair of the town’s economic development committee, says the town has always been in support of development of the highway across Labrador, but its construction was at the detriment of his community.

“Ever since that was initiated, the town experienced a slow bleed in terms of economic activity. As a result of the site we lost passenger service, the number of freight boats were reduced and up until a point in 2008, the decision was made that the province would no longer utilize this port,” he said.

“We just hope that with the recent announcement, with our due diligence, we can revitalize and become a hub for activity into the future.”

The wharf itself is nearly 500 feet long and is equipped with a roll-on and roll-off ramp. It also has enclosed warehousing of nearly 28,000 square feet and a laydown area — used to store tools, materials, equipment and vehicles — of 4.5 hectares.

“Our business community is strong and vibrant, our tax base is strong, our financial position as a community is strong,” said Pond. “We’ve got a great group of individuals, both staff, volunteers, councillors … that we will bring this to the next level.”

The town is keeping a close eye on the mining sector and other shipping avenues as a possible area of growth for the port.

The mayor said the town is already reaching out to companies which may look to use Lewisporte in the future.

“Our job is to sell the port, really, and what is it these individuals need. What do you want to see? And so what would make the best use of it?” she said.

“Oil and gas is not going anywhere in this province. Obviously, we’re strategically located. Our port is unique. Mining is booming in central Newfoundland. … I think anything that happens in central Newfoundland, we can play a role.”

As part of its economic development plan, the town hopes to also take over the Lewisporte marina, which is owned by the federal government and leased by the town.

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador