Facts About Mayne Island Docks
As Mayne Islands Harbours Commissioner from October 2014 to November 2016, I had an opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the workings of the Southern Gulf Islands Harbours Commission (SGIHC). Over the past two years I have met with Island groups and written articles explaining how the Commission works and the developments taking place. Given Mayne Island’s current opportunity to improve our marine facilities, I feel it is timely to review the process which led to these projects.
Funding:
The funding for the Commission’s eleven docks is comprised of the moorage revenue collected from users and a parcel tax of approximately $41 per household. Funds are not specific to the Island from which they are collected. The funds are pooled in a common reserve from which they are distributed as chosen by the Commission. In order for any project to receive funding it must receive a majority of support from the six Commissioners and the CRD Director.
Engineering Report:
In November of 2014 the SGIHC approved the CRD’s proposal to have a current Engineering study of our docks conducted. CRD Engineering staff recommended a new study as the previous Engineering report was 7 years old. In early 2015 the CRD made a request for proposals to local Marine Engineering firms to apply for the contract. Moffatt and Nichol was chosen as the successful candidate and dock inspections were conducted with a report being completed in December of 2015. The reports provide a Professional Engineer’s detailed assessment of deficiencies and the improvements required to maintain the longevity of the docks.
Dock Repair:
The CRD / Commission accepted the recommendations of the Engineering report as received without alteration. Tender documents were prepared and submitted to Marine Contractors for bidding in early 2016. The contract for the first stage of repairs was awarded to Pacific Industrial Marine with a request that work start early in fall 2016 so as not to interfere with summer use. The contractor is responsible to complete repairs as per the tender documents prepared by Engineers Moffatt and Nichol.
Anson Road Community Dock:
Mayne Island has no commercial marine facilities. We have two public docks -Miners Bay (owned by the CRD/SGIHC) and Horton Bay (owned by Small Craft Harbours). Pender Island by comparison has 3 CRD docks and 4 commercial/community docks available to the public. Pender Island has 8 times the dock space per capita as Mayne Island. The CRD holds a water lease at Anson Road located in Horton Bay. The Bay is recognized as an all-weather anchorage ideal for small craft moorage. For Mayne Island to realize a dock at Anson Road two things had to happen, the Commission had to provide support for the dock and the water lease had to be rezoned. In January of 2015 a report detailing Mayne Islands need for a Marine facility utilizing Anson Road was presented to the Harbours Commission. In recognizing Mayne’s shortage of marine facilities and the strength of the Anson Road location the Commission voted unanimously in support of the proposal. As the water lease was zoned residential it required rezoning to allow for a Community dock. The rezoning was completed this November.
Currently:
All the work has taken place to allow our Island to see an improvement to our marine facilities with the repairs to Miners Bay and the addition of Anson Road dock. The funding will be from the SGIHC reserve, which is pooled from revenue collected from each of the six Islands. Funds budgeted for Anson Road are independent of the funds required to meet the needs of the Engineering Report. Repairs to Miners Bay dock are being conducted as per the Engineering report and have not been diminished by the Commission’s support of Anson Road. Contrary to statements being made on our Island the Anson Road dock is not at the expense of Miners Bay.
The Engineering report, Anson Road report and SGIHC minutes can be found on the CRD or AMIB website,www.mayneislandboaters.org and look for the links. I would be happy to discuss any questions you may have on this topic.
Carl Bunnin
539-2311
Funding:
The funding for the Commission’s eleven docks is comprised of the moorage revenue collected from users and a parcel tax of approximately $41 per household. Funds are not specific to the Island from which they are collected. The funds are pooled in a common reserve from which they are distributed as chosen by the Commission. In order for any project to receive funding it must receive a majority of support from the six Commissioners and the CRD Director.
Engineering Report:
In November of 2014 the SGIHC approved the CRD’s proposal to have a current Engineering study of our docks conducted. CRD Engineering staff recommended a new study as the previous Engineering report was 7 years old. In early 2015 the CRD made a request for proposals to local Marine Engineering firms to apply for the contract. Moffatt and Nichol was chosen as the successful candidate and dock inspections were conducted with a report being completed in December of 2015. The reports provide a Professional Engineer’s detailed assessment of deficiencies and the improvements required to maintain the longevity of the docks.
Dock Repair:
The CRD / Commission accepted the recommendations of the Engineering report as received without alteration. Tender documents were prepared and submitted to Marine Contractors for bidding in early 2016. The contract for the first stage of repairs was awarded to Pacific Industrial Marine with a request that work start early in fall 2016 so as not to interfere with summer use. The contractor is responsible to complete repairs as per the tender documents prepared by Engineers Moffatt and Nichol.
Anson Road Community Dock:
Mayne Island has no commercial marine facilities. We have two public docks -Miners Bay (owned by the CRD/SGIHC) and Horton Bay (owned by Small Craft Harbours). Pender Island by comparison has 3 CRD docks and 4 commercial/community docks available to the public. Pender Island has 8 times the dock space per capita as Mayne Island. The CRD holds a water lease at Anson Road located in Horton Bay. The Bay is recognized as an all-weather anchorage ideal for small craft moorage. For Mayne Island to realize a dock at Anson Road two things had to happen, the Commission had to provide support for the dock and the water lease had to be rezoned. In January of 2015 a report detailing Mayne Islands need for a Marine facility utilizing Anson Road was presented to the Harbours Commission. In recognizing Mayne’s shortage of marine facilities and the strength of the Anson Road location the Commission voted unanimously in support of the proposal. As the water lease was zoned residential it required rezoning to allow for a Community dock. The rezoning was completed this November.
Currently:
All the work has taken place to allow our Island to see an improvement to our marine facilities with the repairs to Miners Bay and the addition of Anson Road dock. The funding will be from the SGIHC reserve, which is pooled from revenue collected from each of the six Islands. Funds budgeted for Anson Road are independent of the funds required to meet the needs of the Engineering Report. Repairs to Miners Bay dock are being conducted as per the Engineering report and have not been diminished by the Commission’s support of Anson Road. Contrary to statements being made on our Island the Anson Road dock is not at the expense of Miners Bay.
The Engineering report, Anson Road report and SGIHC minutes can be found on the CRD or AMIB website,www.mayneislandboaters.org and look for the links. I would be happy to discuss any questions you may have on this topic.
Carl Bunnin
539-2311