At the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s next general meeting (Oct. 21), Kana:takon District Chief Larry King will be presenting information to the community about a ferry project MCA is considering and currently seeking funding for. The multi-million dollar project is in predevelopment status but models have been drawn and a pre-feasibility study was conducted by a Quebec company which indicated the project is feasible.

Chief King said it’s going to come down to what the community wants.

“I think it’s a matter of getting what we call ‘marching orders’ from the community,” Chief King said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

The chief said it is his personal hope to have an operating ferry by next season, but he hasn’t had much success securing funding from outside sources, and the project still needs community input. He’s presented the project idea to different agencies in Canada and hasn’t yet found one willing to fund the $2-5 million system.

Although no details are concrete, some ideas were developed on how the ferry would operate in order to provide a starting point. If the project advances, changes can be made as needed. As it stands, the project would consist of 1-2 brand new ferries that are dual engine shallow draft crafts, meaning they can operate in as little as three feet of water. The ferry would likely dock at the eastern tip of Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island), and possibly land near the St. Regis Recreation and Sweetflag Estates in Kana:takon (St. Regis). The ferry’s third dock would likely be at the site of the current ice bridge landing at River Road for the Tsi Snaihne (Snye) travelers.

“We also want to go to the islands,” said Chief King of Akwesasne’s many small islands in the St. Lawrence River that are not currently accessible by car. “We’re running out of room here, we’re running out of land.”

The boat MCA is considering would be a 10-15 passenger ferry boat similar in style to the Plattsburgh, NY ferry, but smaller. Although some community members have urged MCA to purchase a used ferry and get the project going, the safety codes required for ferry transportation are strict and Chief King said building a ferry would be the best way of obtaining one that addresses those safety issues.

“We have to take serious note of safety,” he said. “There are a lot of standards. We want to make sure we do this right.”

The idea for a ferry has existed for decades, Chief King said, and has been pressed consistently by elder Ernest Benedict who attends MCA’s general meetings when he can and reminds them, “Where’s our ferry?”

Traveling by water is “our historical and traditional method of travel,” Chief King said.

The need for water travel is based on Akwesasne’s complicated land and water jurisdictions which have existed long before the bridge and border crisis of last year. It’s a burden for community members to travel within the community from one district to another and be required by outside agencies to report to Canadian or U.S. Customs, when the driver has only left Akwesasne in order to reach other parts of the territory separated by water and U.S.-Canada borders.

While the ferry would allow for easy, Customs-free travel for those traveling between the islands, St. Regis and Snye, community members might feel uneasy about the possibility of losing the current freedom to travel across the border in other districts without the duty to report to Customs. Would the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reopen their U.S. Customs booth on St. Regis Road and add another for cars leaving Snye?

“It’s a logical concern,” said Chief King. “It’s certainly not something I’d want to see happen or be responsible for...I know there will be some criticisms of the project and we need to hear that too.”

If the project gets moving, the community will be asked for more input as to the operation of the ferry and there are many specifics still blank. Would community members be willing to pay for ferry transportation? How late in the day will it operate? Will cars going from the island to Snye have to stop in the village? Those are just a few of the details yet to be determined and MCA is hoping to get direction from the community.

If funding was secured and the project met community approval, Chief King said it would take 6-8 months to get it off the ground. That’s the amount of time building the boat would take, and during that period the docks and infrastructure could be completed as well.

“It sure helps to know when you have your community behind you with these things,” he said. “For the most part I feel I have that.”

He added, “I go through that border enough myself to know the inconvenience...and believe me, when that bridge construction gets going it’s going to be tough.”

MCA’s general meeting will be held on Kawehno:ke next Thursday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m.