District launches boat ramp study

Powell River Regional District will be examining prospective sites in areas B and C to develop a public boat launch.

At the Thursday, July 17, committee of the whole meeting, directors contemplated potential siting for launch facilities south of the City of Powell River. The Powell River Community Forest has been identified as a potential funding source for a new boat launch.

A boat launch is consistent with the official community plan (OCP) bylaws in both areas B and C. Policy states that any such ramp be located where it will be usable in all weather conditions, where adequate parking is available, and where it will not interfere with sensitive coastal features or result in degradation of recreational beaches.

Colin Palmer, regional district chair, said he had a suggestion for the regional board to research the initiative rather than just turning it over to regional district staff members to research.

“The community forest board has said they would be willing to put money on the table for a boat ramp in either area A, B or C,” Palmer said. “They didn’t say they were putting money on the table for purchasing any land. That’s another point. We’ll need a parking area, anyway.”

Palmer said construction of such a boat launch would be an issue for people residing in the city, as well as in areas B and C. He suggested setting up a small advisory group comprised of somebody from the city, representatives from areas B and C, and two others involved in the local boating community. He said the group could be given simple terms of reference and provide two or three options for siting the boat launch.

Palmer said that the group should be authorized to examine locations and provide the regional board with some advice.

“Then we can make some progress and the staff don’t have to get involved,” he said. “They might come back to us and say nothing can be done because there are developments along the waterfront in areas B and C.”

The committee asked staff to prepare the boat launch committee terms of reference for regional board consideration.