Issues with Howe Island ferry leaves residents feeling stranded

They’re holding this hostage over here. I don’t understand. Bob Ackley is voicing the frustration felt by the roughly 600 Howe Island residents over the past weeks, months and years. Ackley says the county operated ferry, owned and maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, has had long standing issues with breaking down and going out of service unexpectedly about a month ago. The issue has gotten even worse when a new drive system was installed. First night started making some serious noises. Next thing you know there changes some gears out of it. Oil fields are leaking on the deck it it just went on and on and and then they did some repairs and it lasted a day or two and did some more repairs lasted a day or two. The Township operated ferry near Gananoque has been serving as a backup but with a capacity for only three vehicles at a time on this day the Township ferry is also out of Commission for a scheduled inspection and maintenance and while Howe Island residents can plan around that. It does mean for several hours there’s no way on or off the island unless you have a boat. Joanne Mahoney planned around the scheduled inspection, something she hasn’t been able to do with breakdowns at this ferry I came across before 10:00. I have an appointment at 3:30. I had to do that today so I didn’t have to cancel the appointment 1/3 time. Residents also worry about a potential medical emergency while there is a ferry breakdown. Or in a dangerous situation right now, ’cause we we have, we have airlift, we do have a great fire. Station here with a fire response boat. I personally put my own pontoon boat in that holds like 20 people yesterday, just in case Ackley and Mahoney say they need a new ferry and emails to the Ministry of Transportation and the Minister have been met with silence. The island sent out probably 30-40. Fifty emails and nobody gets a response. When’s it? When’s it get better for us? I get the auto reply, a response from the ministry that many residents on several Frontenac islands are familiar with. The county ferry, after being out of service for almost 2 days, started operating again Wednesday afternoon. The question weighing on how island residents minds is how long will it continue to work this time? Darren Davis, Global News.