by Laura Walz editor@prpeak.com City of Powell River staff have told elected officials it will cost over $60,000 to purchase and install floats that will improve conditions at the boat ramp in the north harbour.
Tor Birtig, manager of operational services, explained at the October 6 committee-of-the-whole meeting that the north harbour project is almost complete. “One of the issues that has become a hot topic is the floats in the launch area,” he said. “We utilized the existing topper floats down there, but because we don’t have the dock space that we used to utilize, the amount of floats down there is definitely compromised.”
During the north harbour reconfiguration project, a concrete boat ramp float was removed because of its poor condition. Replacing this section of float was not part of the original scope of work for the reconfiguration project.
During a recent tour of the waterfront, Richard Stogre, manager of engineering services, explained the contract for the north harbour reconfiguration project had a provision to extend the ramp by five metres. “During the dredging, the clamshell came down and took out a whole section of existing ramp,” he said. “The contractor replaced that area at his own cost and the overall ramp was extended by five metres at the existing grade. There was no change in grade.”
Although the ramp was extended, it doesn’t go to the zero tide mark, said Birtig. “I think we can launch safely at a two-foot tide,” he said. “Because of the ocean bed at that point, we can’t get beyond that two-foot without your trailer wheels falling off the slope. We have improved it slightly, it’s just not a 100-per-cent improvement.”
Currently there are 24.4 metres of 1.2-meter-wide topper floats on the north side of the boat ramp and 30.2 metres of 1.5- and 1.8-metre-wide topper floats on the south side. The reduction in float length means there is limited off-loading and tie-up space available at lower tides and restricted access to the shore from the south side of the ramp during tides higher than seven feet. People have to swim when they launch their boat on any tide that is over eight feet.
To solve the problem, staff recommended purchasing 47.4 meters of floats and an additional access gangway for the south side of the ramp. The cost is estimated to be $61,533. Staff recommended that the cost be funded from the north harbour reserve account. As well, they recommended doubling the parking fees for a vehicle and trailer in the north harbour parking lot, from $5 a day to $10 a day, and transferring $5,000 annually from the increased parking fees to the reserve account until the $61,533 is repaid.
The proposed increase in parking fees sparked a debate among councillors. In the end, they asked staff to bring back a report that includes information on what other communities charge for launching a boat. The recommendation to purchase the new floats is expected to be on the agenda for the October 20 council meeting.
