The Esquimalt Anglers model is so good. QUOTE]
One difficulty is comparing a volunteer built and paid for facility capitalized over a 60 year timeline to a publicly funded facility with a >$2.6 million capital cost at startup. The proposal needs a ROI formula that pays back the taxpayers. I have the original petition for the boat launch, (and I'm on it), and the roughly 1400petitioners can expect to be spammed in short order for cash support.
Seems there's a few competing idea swirling around here.
Is the goal to pay back the Sooke Council for the capital investment?
Or is the goal to pay for ongoing expenses (cleaning, extra parking space, etc) plus a fund for future improvements (washrooms, cleaning table)?
Or is it both?
That will have to be spelled out in the terms of reference for this society. And it's a part of the books being open....if collecting $x per launch or $x per month, it better be clear where it goes. If it goes into general revenue to pay back past debts, fine, but it has to be upfront.
As for the people who signed that petition....was there any mention at the time of this being a toll / user pay facility? Because that was not my recollection of what was implied at the time ... there were promises made of a free facility. That tune subsequently changed with a new administration ... fair enough, but it might not be what those petitioners signed on for years before.