Sooke Boat Launch - proposed charging money to use

[sudsy]

Just heard that the sooke council is moving forward to start charging to use the "Public" boatlaunch....as a resident of sooke, a taxpayer of sooke it makes me pissed off to hear that this new "public" boat launch will no longer be free. I dont understand how they can charge for something that was paid for with public funds???? I guess local business were complaining that they were loosing money because people werent using their boat launches anymore...if they want people to pay for their launches, update them and make them useable in all tide conditions!!!

 

[sudsy]

I totally realise that Jocks dock is taking a major hit by having a free launch next door, that sucks for them, maybe they shoould lower their prices, or fix their boat launch so that it is competetive?

I just dont understand how somthing that was paid for with public funds by the tax payers of sooke can now be charged for....Now were going to have jocks dock employees working on public property collecting 10$ to use a public boat launch, so how does it make sense for me to pay to use a boatlaunch that ive already paid for?definetly shady...if they want to charge non-residents of sooke, im all for it, but good luck enforcing that....

Who's going to stop me from just parking my truck their and not using the boat launch? they dont have any way of fining people for not paying? its not a bylaw? even if it were a bylaw, who enforces it? We have 1 bylaw officer in sooke who works monday - friday....


Maybe im taking this the wrong way, but growing up in a community where we had 3 public boat launches maybe i take it for granted it being free.....

Is anyone else outraged with this? I think its a bunch of BS personally....

 

[wolf]

Yes I dont think its fair as well and should be for residents of sooke as it was/is my tax dollars spent putting it in there along with every other sooke resident..Yes Im sure jocks is hurting from it but thats kinda bad for them there in a spot that location kinda hurt them what they should have done is gave Jocks a certain amout per year to operate free and dredge that spot and improve that spot SO everyone would have been happy im sure the noisy guys yelling at the top of there lungs is really impressing the hoetl patrons and there owners.

Jocks has been there for so long giving back to them over the long run imao would have been better 3 mil plus for the new launch do they really think thats charging 10 bucks a launch is really going to pay back that debt thats almost laughable!!!!!


wolf

 

[tigerprawn]

I feel that there should be cost for it. If it was operated like the one in Sidney it would work find. It is operated by the sidney anglers Club. The proceeds I beleave are split 50/50 and the city takes there half and put it toward repairs and maintance. As we all know it will need repairs and some one will have to pay for it. Have a look at what we have and with regular maintance it will continue to look new.

 

[gunnerlove]

My taxes have almost trippled in the last 7 years. I am paying for the launch.

 

[sudsy]

If it wasnt already paid for, i woukd totally agree, this was paid for by the community already, there is no money to pay back to pay it off...from what i have been told, basically jocks dock will be policing it, people will be paying 10$ to launch, out of that 10$ people are paying, portion goes to jocks dock for policing it....and the left over goes to the city,,,my beef with this is, most likely its going to be cash only, jocks dock is going to clean up, all they have to do is pocket the money and say it was slow....doesnt make sense to me...if your going to charge people to use a public boat launch, hire someone who works for the city to collect, not the competetion next door who can just pocket the cash with a grin on there face and money in their pocket.....basically jocks dock is getting benefits now by the city and taxpayers building a launch next to there old run down one...

 

[chris73]

If the launch gets maintained well and maybe gets a fish cleaning station at some point, I have no problem paying a few bucks for it.

 

[Bag-Juan]

Jocks dock is a piece of crap if you ask me. I would not use it if it was free. It would be nice if the new one had a fish cleaning station. I have no problem paying to launch my boat at a decent ramp. Just my two cents worth!

 

[Kildonan]

I feel that there should be cost for it. If it was operated like the one in Sidney it would work find. It is operated by the sidney anglers Club. The proceeds I beleave are split 50/50 and the city takes there half and put it toward repairs and maintance. As we all know it will need repairs and some one will have to pay for it. Have a look at what we have and with regular maintance it will continue to look new.

Same kind of deal at Esquimalt anglers. $50/year for unlimited launches, entry to an annual salmon derby, fish cleaning station. What a deal!!!

 

[luckyman]

Quick question.... I have not used/seen the launch. Is the entrance right beside Jock's? I hear the parking is minimal and you have to park on the road?? Can you launch on any kind of tide? Anything else I may have missed? thx

I have been launching at Sunny Shores. Still going way down hill and it is empty....looks like winter out there.... Only 15 or so boats. The owners hearts are not in it anymore.... I think it is still the only place to get fuel in the harbour?

 

[sudsy]

Quick question.... I have not used/seen the launch. Is the entrance right beside Jock's? I hear the parking is minimal and you have to park on the road?? Can you launch on any kind of tide? Anything else I may have missed? thx

I have been launching at Sunny Shores. Still going way down hill and it is empty....looks like winter out there.... Only 15 or so boats. The owners hearts are not in it anymore.... I think it is still the only place to get fuel in the harbour?

Yes, it is right next door to Jocks dock, parking is minimal especially when people take 2 spots or park there cars in the trailer spots, i have launched on the lowest tide of the year, no problems whatsover, the launch is top notch, brand new,


I would definetly be in favor of paying a reasonable annual fee for local residents, im not happy with paying 10$ everytime i want to launch my boat on a launch that was paid for by my tax money.....

 

[gungadin]

Sounds like a great launch, congratulations to the residents and taxpayers of Sooke for paying for it. I am of the understanding however, that besides the local Sooke government, there was a considerable amount of monies provided by both the provincial and federal governments, as well as some money from a nearby hotel. But a public launch is just that, and should be free to everyone. If however, you charged for parking, say 2$per hour, 10$ per 12 hour day or periods thereof, you could eliminate the problem of people who are not using the ramp for its intended purpose (boat launching) and taking away valuable boat trailer space. Why you could even use those parking machines like you see at our ferry terminals, perhaps even using the same parking company : 0(

 

[trophywife]

How about rocky point launch??? Half the parking lot sold to private contract restaurant and our launch cost is 20 bucks... Dredge that does not happen enough... All payed for over thirty years ago by taxes... My city is a cash grabber..

 

[wolf]

With the restrictions and everything else we ALL knew this was coming cause the sky is falling mentality hapens if you look back at the sooke reports there were days in june when there was like 5 boats out... people were staying away and will continue to as well to blame the hotel for lost ramp fees cmon well my june was slow too can I get compensated as well along with the many other guides and businesses in sooke??????
from my understanding some land was sold to the development so they got some money already.

The real problem here is uncertantiy with our area 19/20 fishery if we had definate seasons in place with not all this BS DFO has done to criplle sooke then more people would come and also more people would moor there boat etc just look at SS or jocks or sooke harbor there are a lot of open spaces where 5 years ago you were on a wait list to get a moorage spot people dont want to pay for a 2 motnh season they want to be able to fish...

Like someone else said on here you should need to buy an annual sticker i think thats the best thing anyone has put forth so far....with the moneys going back to the RAMP only and its upkeep and matenance...

Wolf

 

[lazoman]

Like someone else said on here you should need to buy an annual sticker i think thats the best thing anyone has put forth so far....with the moneys going back to the RAMP only and its upkeep and matenance...

Wolf

That's the way to go... I am on the board of directors of the Point Holmes Recreation Association, which is responsible for the Pt Holmes boat ramp and foreshore. The ramp was built with Centennial Community funding in 1967, and the area has now been taken in by the Town of Comox. We were in the regional district previously, but that doesn't change my point here. We have an agreement with the town where we are responsible for the maintenance and management of the ramp, and get support from their parks dept for some foreshore maintenance like moving the logs out in the winter with their machinery! (thanks). We ask for donations of $30/yr for a ramp sticker, and have daily rates of $5 for boat/trailers, and $2 for canoes/kayaks. Corporate sponsors donate $100 or more per year. This money just barely covers our expenses of roughly $1800 for insurance, powerwashing the ramp a few times over the summer, signage and annual patching of the ramp surface. We are dreading the coming time that we are forced to recover the entire ramp, we've had quotes of up to $40,000. We have some serious fundraising to do before that will happen. The board of directors are a dedicated, concerned bunch of residents, some don't even fish ! There has been talk of closing the ramp, putting up a gate with key for users etc etc. I am so glad it hasn't come to that, and thank all those that support us with stickers and day use fees, we are doing ok at the moment. The Pt Holmes ramp isn't for everyone, max size of boat is around 18 ft, depending on your trailer setup. Folks get into real problems with any SE blowing at all when recovering onto the trailer, it sucks I agree !! A tip for the newbies.....the standard practice is to jack knife your trailer off the East side of the ramp, dont try just backing straight down..... it won't work, the ramp is not steep enough to do that, although I've seen some try very hard at it.
So, good luck with your ramp, maybe some concerned citizens down that way need to come up with a plan for it's survival.

 

[sudsy]

Funny story, was launching my boat one day, lot was full and 1 guy was parked in the roundabout, i launched my boat and was about to drive up and park along the highway then noticed someone was pulling in and looked like they were going to be pulling there boat out. So i waited and asked the guy if he had parked along the hotel, as I wanted to take his spot..he says oh no, thats my truck there in the round about, why dont you just park next to me, i started laughing and said, no thanks, dont wana be that guy, just because your parked there, doesnt mean its right!!! I then drove up the hill and parked along the highway...he then tried explaining himself to my buddy who i had left behind on the boat....some people just dont get it......

 

[boomer]

I like the Esquimalt fee 50 buck for a club house and a top notch ramp .build a club house for the sooke boy to hang out in and you would be surprised how many would help with the up keep!