Blind Bay Marina expansion project nears end

HAMMOND — The small marina between Morristown and Alexandria Bay is getting a big makeover.

Local businessman Henry J. LaCroix, who recently began leasing the Blind Bay Marina, is finishing up an expansion project that will increase the number of boat slips and amenities available to renters. He expects to open for business in April, and have a grand opening ceremony in May.

"It's going to be a hell of a thing when we're done with it," Mr. LaCroix said.

The marina, which is in a protected inlet across from Singer Castle, has been docking boats for more than 70 years. Over the years, owners have added a pool, a small grocery store, a full mechanical shop, showers and an apartment that sleeps 12 people.

As part of the latest expansion, Mr. LaCroix is installing two campers that will sleep 10 more people, adding a sauna and hot tub and increasing the number of boat slips from 35 to 55.

He also is expanding the mechanical shop and hopes to start serving hot food sometime during the summer.

This is the first marina Mr. LaCroix has operated. He owns Henry's Plumbing and Oil Heating. With several customers that own boats, Mr. LaCroix said he got involved with the marina after doing some work on the facility.

He became a partner in the Blind Bay Corp. in December after a previous partner decided to leave the company, Mr. LaCroix said. He is leasing the facility under the newly created Soft Winds Marina LLC., which he owns.

Mr. LaCroix plans to have about six employees working at the marina this summer.

One of the workers will be his wife, Patti A., who is visually impaired.

With her working at the desk, Mr. LaCroix said, he hopes the marina will become a popular spot for those with disabilities.

"There's nothing that's going to hinder them," he said.

"If I take my wife somewhere and there's no accommodations for her, that makes those people feel immaterial. Well, they're going to show up here and there's going to be someone there who is visually impaired, so they're going to fit right in."

A full list of amenities and rental fees can be found at the marina's Web site.

ON THE NET

Blind Bay Marina:

www.blindbaymarina.com

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Plante

joins race

for seat

By ELIZABETH GRAHAM

TIMES STAFF WRITER

HOPKINTON — A second Republican has joined the race to fill Democrat Laura J. Perry's District 7 St. Lawrence County Legislature seat in November.

Alcoa retiree Lucien N. Plante said his desire to help people prompted him to seek the Legislature seat.

"That's why I belong to the civic organizations I belong to and why I volunteer to help my community when they have an event," Mr. Plante said. "My biggest drive, though, is taxes. I think it's a sad state of affairs when people should have to worry about losing their property because they fell onto hard times, regardless of how the hard times happened."

Mr. Plante's announcement sets the stage for a GOP primary against Scott M. Sutherland, a retired Sheriff's Department detective sergeant who announced his candidacy last week.

Ms. Perry has said she will not seek a second Legislature term. District 7 represents the towns of Pierrepont, Clare, Parishville, Colton, Hopkinton and Piercefield.

Mr. Plante grew up in Constable, and worked more than 20 years at Alcoa's Massena plant. Before his 1995 retirement, he was responsible for waste management in Massena and plants in five other states.

"You had to look at getting rid of things and reducing things wherever possible, whether it was water intake or coal," he said.

"That's what I'd like to see us do with this county. We really need to tighten the belt."

Although he's never run for political office before, Mr. Plante has been a Massena Republican Committee chairman and a county Republican Committee member.

The U.S. Marine Corps veteran is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis Club in Massena, and is a Eucharistic minister at Holy Cross Church. He and his wife, Connie M., have four grown children and 14 grandchildren.

"I want to help. Someone needs to be there for people who need it, and I want to be that someone," he said. "When I'm elected, I'm going to represent the people of my district and the county. I'm not going to represent a party."