A new snack bar may be coming to the North Bay waterfront at Shabogesic Beach next spring.
That's what Rich Stivrins is hoping for anyway.
The captain of the Chief Commanda II and the new owner of the newly branded "Boathouse Rental Company" is in the process of getting approval to have a permanent snack bar at Shabogesic Beach off Memorial Drive on the north end of Lake Nipissing in North Bay.
"We operate on Shabogesic Beach at the brown building at the foot of the dock in the park and we are excited about the prospects that has for us," said Stivrins.
Stivrins is now renting kayaks, paddle boards, and fun bikes out of that building near the beach. He purchased the company from former North Bay city councilllor, Daryl Vaillancourt who operated "Fun Rentals" for a number of years at a different location on the waterfront.
"We thought it was a good service for the city and fits really well with what happens on the waterfront so it turned into a broader conversation and took it off his hands," Stivrins said about the transaction.
However, to put something like this in place, there is a process to follow.
"We are just in the middle of finalizing our lease with the City of North Bay at that spot so we are anxious to get up and going and we are going to expand the operations beyond just renting kayaks, paddle boards, and fun bikes," said Stivrins.
"We want to get to the point where you can grab a coffee or a sandwich at the beach while you are playing with the kids and are excited about the opportunity that holds for everybody."
Stivrins looks to have the building permits in place to allow for the major renovation. He hopes the new snack bar-cafe, which he doesn't have a name for, will be open on Shabogesic Beach by the spring or summer of 2023.
