It could cost more than $8 million to upgrade part of Market Wharf and Market Square in Saint Andrews.

That is according to a series of options presented by CBCL Limited during a special meeting last week.

Council previously approved a plan to replace the first third of the wharf with concrete.

But municipal staff were forced to go back to the drawing board due to ballooning costs.

Five options are now being considered, ranging in price from $5.3 million to $8.2 million.

• Repairing the existing timber approach structure and adding a partial raised rock infill for Market Square – $5.37 million
• Replacing the existing approach structure with a raised rock infill – $6.06 million
• Replacing the existing approach structure with a steel pile and concrete wharf structure – $8.2 million
• Replacing the existing approach structure with concrete caissons and girders – $7.88 million
• Replacing the existing approach structure with a hybrid partial raised rock infill and steel piled wharf – $7.82 million

Estimated construction timelines would range between 12 and 21 months with some options potentially impacting the tourism season.

Coun. Lee Heenan said while rehabilitating the wharf approach is the least costly, he does not think it is a good idea.

“It doesn’t meet the environmental change. It doesn’t raise the elevation,” Heenan said during the presentation.

The other four options would see the wharf approach raised to account for future sea level rise, according to Kori MacPherson with CBCL Limited.

MacPherson also noted that rehabilitating the wharf would only extend its life by 10 to 25 years, while the other four options would last for 50-plus years.

While council discussed the options briefly, they made no final decision on which of the five to go with. Instead, they will turn to residents of the recently-expanded community to have their say.

“The reason that I think it’s important to go back to consultation on this is the last time we did this exercise, Chamcook and Bayside were not paying for this, and now they’re paying for this debt,” said Mayor Brad Henderson.

“I’m not saying they didn’t participate last time, but there might be a lot more engagement for the fact now they’ve got a big deal of financials in behind it and the implications of the long-term community.”

CAO Chris Spear said they have until the end of 2026 to finish the project, adding they hope to start the work no later than next fall.

Spear said he will return to council in October with a plan for public consultation this fall, with council debating the options in the new year.

You can watch the special council meeting in its entirety below.