4. Built Resources / Community Services

The Town of Ramea is well equipped with built resources and community services to accommodate existing and new development. The major existing land uses are outlined on Map 3.

Fish Plant:

The Ramea fishplant is a completely self contained production facility containing a large wharf / receiving complex, a large office and warehousing building and extensive cold storage facilities in addition to the main processing area (see attached drawin g).

The receiving facility is modern and designed to accommodate large deep sea trawlers. It is equipped to handle both box and vacuum discharge of cargo. The wharf has two berths with depths of four (4) to seven (7) metres alongside; the west berth is fift y-four (54) metres long and the inside berth is seventy (70) metres long. It contains an unloading unit approximately thirty-two (32) metres long and four and half (4.5) metres wide.

The plant has a potable freshwater supply with an estimated capacity of two hundred (200) gallons per minute (fifteen (15) litres per second). A second system can deliver approximately one thousand five hundred (1,500) to two thousand (2,000) gallons per minute (one hundred and fourteen (114) to one hundred and fifty-two (152) litres per second) of clean chlorinated sea water to production areas. It is served by a steam heating system and a complete sprinkler system, which is currently being upgraded.

The refrigeration system has a freezing capacity of approximately three hundred (300) tons, with seven (7) plate freezers and one (1) automatic plate freezer. It contains three (3) ice machines with a total ice making capacity of eighty (80) tons of ice per twenty-four (24) hours and a complete ice storage system. There are two (2) cold storage buildings. One, with an area of approximately three hundred and seventy (370) square metres is attached to the main building. The second building is detached a nd has a main storage area of approximately two hundred (260) square metres.

The main production space has an area of approximately two thousand three hundred and thirty (2,330) square metres. The plant and the work force is well equipped to process a variety of species, but particularly redfish (perch). The plant has an excelle nt track record in both hand and machine filleting. A major three hundred thousand dollar ($300,000.00) upgrading to the cutting line equipment was completed in 1987. This included a customized, automatic retail freezing system for processing perch and a new chill room. Also included were self contained cold storage units which combine low operation costs with the capability of handing high product volumes. The plant also contains modern technology for monitoring and producing high quality products su ch as a variety of frozen consumer packs.

Adjacent to the main facility is a meal plant approximately three hundred and eighty-five (385) square metres in area. A one hundred and fifty (150) square metre meal storage shed is also contained on the complex. The main office is fully furnished and, combined with the general store, has a floor area of approximately six hundred and fifty-five (655) square metres. The warehouse attached to it has a storage space of one hundred and fifty (150) square metres. The maintenance building is two hundred an d fifty (250) square metres in area and is well outfitted for repair of mechanical and electronic equipment.

The Port:

Ramea harbour is an excellent sheltered, ice free facility. It has two main wharves; one attached to the fish plant property, as described above, and the other the public wharf which serves as the ferry terminal (see Map 3). The public wharf is T-shaped and thirty (30) meters long with a minimum depth of 5.8 metres alongside.

Municipal Infrastructure:

• i) Water Supply and Sewage Disposal:
  • The municipal water system services the entire town with treated water. The system has the capacity to meet all current needs and can accommodate industry with an approximate daily demand of 40,000 imperial gallons. The system is approved by the Fir e Commissioner for the purposes of the Life Underwriters Act. The Town is also fully serviced with a gravity flow sewer system.
• ii) Solid Waste:
  • The waste disposal site is served with a six (6) metre open stack incinerator, installed in 1993.
• iii) Fire Protection:
  • Ramea has a well equipped and well trained twenty-eight (28) person fire department. Its fire fighting equipment includes a six hundred and twenty-five (625) gallons per minute (forty-seven (47) litres per second) pumper truck and an emergency respon se van.
• iv) Land Available for Development:
  • There are twenty-six (26) serviced lots available for residential development in the north end of the community (see Map 3) subject to necessary surveys and title clearances.
• v) Recreation Facilities:
  • Recreation facilities include a playground, ball field, outdoor swimming pool, picnic grounds, outdoor hockey rink, school gymnasium (available for adult sports) and hiking trails.

Utilities & Communications:

• i) Electricity:
  • Electricity is provided to the community by a diesel generating plant with a three thousand five hundred (3,500) KW output.
• ii) Telecommunications:
  • The community's telephone service uses an electromechanical system. Discussions are being held with Newfoundland Telephone to have a state of the art digital radio system installed in the very near future.
• iii) Television and Radio:
  • The Ramea Broadcasting Company provides cable television service, including a community channel. Four (4) radio stations service the Ramea area.

Education Facilities:

Plans are underway for construction of a new school, following the recent tragic burning of St. Boniface All-Grade School. As a sign of the determination and community spirit of residents, the school burning brought on an immediate flurry of activity tow ards providing temporary facilities and planning for the future. In partnership with the School Board, the Town Council is linked with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Enterprise Network, which gives access to a variety of Provincial and global d ata bases. This linkage provides the Town with a variety of educational and business development possibilities.

West Viking College in Stephenville provides a wide range of training programs, several of which can be provided in the community. This facility, combined with private post-secondary schools and other public and private trainers present many possibilitie s of forming partnerships and delivering training to the people of Ramea.

Transportation:

• i) Highway:
  • Route 480 is a paved, all weather highway. It is a one hundred and forty-six (146) kilometre drive from Burgeo to the Trans Canada Highway and from there, approximately thirty-five (35) kilometres to Stephenville and sixty (60) kilometres to Corner B rook.
• ii) Marine:
  • The Motor Vessel Gallipoli is a car ferry operated by the Provincial Government which serves the Ramea area. The vessel accommodates one hundred (100) passengers and twenty-three (23) passenger vehicles (or two (2) tractor trailers and twelve (12) pa ssenger vehicles). The crossing to Burgeo takes approximately one and one quarter hours.
  • Marine Atlantic operates a passenger ferry service along the South Coast between Port aux Basques and Terrenceville on the Burin Peninsula. A vessel operates twice weekly each way during the winter months but service is substantially upgraded during the summer months. Marine Atlantic also offers a freight service along the same route.
• iii) Air:
  • Stephenville Airport, with international status, is approximately two (2) hours drive from Burgeo. In addition, Ramea has a helicopter pad which can be used for industrial or medical purposes.

Community Services:

• Ramea has an above-average number of active community organizations and the level of volunteer participation in community activities is very high. Following is a sample of the community's organizations.
  • Marie S. Penney Memorial Library,
  • Lions and Lioness Clubs and Lions Community Centre,
  • Several church organizations,
  • Youth groups, including Allied Youth, Beavers / Cubs / Scouts / Guides and Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, and
  • Senior Puffins' Club.

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