Inconsistent ferry service has Frontenac Islands mayor grinding her gears

Issues with Wolfe Islander IV has proven to cause more than just an inconvenience to residents and visitors to Wolfe Island.

The Mayor of Frontenac Islands is expressing frustration after the Wolfe Islander IV had to be taken out of service during a busy summer weekend. 

The electric-powered ferry experienced generator failures on Saturday leaving residents and visitors to the island stranded for hours. 

Judy Greenwood-Speers spoke with Reid and Ben of 98.3 FLY FM on Wednesday. 

She says the mechanical issues that the ferry has been experiencing is proving to be more than just a minor inconvenience. 

Greenwood-Speers adds some of the businesses on Wolfe Island employ people who live on the mainland and they were unable to get to work because the ferry was sidelined. 

She says the inconsistent service has also seen fewer families living on the island. 

The Ministry of Transportation has not said what is causing the issues but did say they understand how critical the ferry is in connecting Wolfe Island to downtown Kingston. 

Greenwood-Speers believes one of the issues is that there are no charging stations installed at the docks to charge the batteries on the ferry. 

The ferry is equipped with a diesel generator in the event the batteries run out. 

She says there has been a lack of communication from the ministry's end and feels that is needed in order to get the ferry running consistently. 

The Wolfe Islander IV had returned to service on May 20 after repairs needed to be made to the bottom of the vessel last December. 

Story by Ken Hashizume with files