Sooke Public Boat Launch

SIRA

Member
SIRA is getting in position to submit a response to the upcoming RFP for facility operator for the new boat launch. We will be proposing a sponsored management plan modeled after the Fleming Beach launch operated by the Esquimalt Anglers Assn. and others.

I would like to sign up commitments for annual launch passes etc. to get an idea of utilization, and start networking for resources and ideas to flush out our proposal. It is our intention to propose a fee structure that will allow Sooke ratepayers (who footed the almost $3 million construction bill) to get a break.

The facility is world class and we want to leverage it to put Sooke on the world stage promoting sport fishing, salmon enhancement, and community activities.

Please contact me directly at tm@tfmartin.net.
 
3 million price tag they couldn't squeeze a fish cleaning station and small washroom into their budget?

I'd do an annual pass if it's reasonable ($40-$50 maximum for a non sooke resident).
 
I would purchase annual pass also if price is reasonable.
Maybe a deal could be reached with Jocks to include use of their washroom, cleaning station and parking.
I would pay more with this added facilities.

Tips
 
As a sooke tax payer i would like a break for an annual pass, maybe 40$ a year?
 
As a sooke tax payer i would like a break for an annual pass, maybe 40$ a year?

I'm going to try to organize corporate sponsorship so that the launch fee becomes a coupon for a discount. If you shop local hopefully you will launch for free off the credit for consumables you would have to buy anyhow.
 
I'm going to try to organize corporate sponsorship so that the launch fee becomes a coupon for a discount. If you shop local hopefully you will launch for free off the credit for consumables you would have to buy anyhow.

This is a very good idea! I normally gas and bait up in Sooke before a trip,even though I come from up island. Have a
"soft spot for Sooke though,as I lived there for many years.
 
I sent these two letters to council and mayor a month ago....to no real response back. Lets get this going fellas.

Dear Mayor and Council of Sooke, I, Ryan Chamberland, a Sooke
>> taxpaper would like to propose a new idea to make the Public Boat
>> Launch a better facility for the community.
>>
>> In other communities around lower Vancouver Island where they have
>> public boat launches they have Angling Associations to look after the
>> facilities. So why not Sooke? I, among others from the community am
>> willing to start such an association in order to make the boat launch
>> friendly to...(anglers, tourists, wheelchairs, children, seniors,
>> guides etc.)
>>
>> The problem that I have with the current situation is the cost to
>> locals, non-sufficient parking to taxpayers boats, books on money
>> going toward upkeep / profits, safety, no bathrooms, no cleaning
>> station, no water.
>>
>> How to make this a proper public boat launch??
>>
>> Cost to the locals/Parking - The public boat launch was built for
>> the tax payers/residents of Sooke. We payed for this once already.
>> Why again? I understand the costs of upkeep and making improvements.
>> That is why I propose an annual fee from a local taxpayer that would
>> like to use the launch and parking at the hotel year round. If the
>> local planned on using the launch more than 4 times a year it would
>> make sense for him to save money by paying for the annual membership
>> which would also give him first rights to the designated parking at
>> the hotel. The annual fee I would suggest is $40 per year. When he
>> pays for his annual membership he will in return have a decal for his
>> trailer/vehicle to display.
>> Non - locals wishing to launch there boat at the Prestige would be
>> allowed to do so, BUT would have to pay the fee at next doors Jock's
>> Dock.
>> Parking at the prestige would be for Sooke BoatLaunch/Anglers
>> Association members, as well as the coast guard auxilary.
>>
>> Books - As of right now I am not clear on how the books are handled
>> now. My idea would be for the Sooke Association to have a committee
>> of more than one person take care of the money coming in and going
>> out. They would also give a yearly report to council and mayor on
>> the account balance, spending, plans...etc. I have heard the reason
>> we are paying $10 a launch now is to make up for the loss of business
>> on Mrs. Smith's property. I understand this is an issue, I would
>> suggest to council to take our numbers from the annual report and
>> possibly give her a tax credit towards her property or something
>> along those lines.
>>
>> Safety - Dock's are a dangerous place obviously. Some things people
>> do not think about are the fisces from birds and seals, the slime
>> from a fish or fish on the docks after pictures have been taken...or
>> people cleaning the fish on the dock because there's no cleaning table. Ice.
>> Broken/Cracked/Missing boards and rails from docks. With an
>> association looking after the dock we can hopefully avoid accidents.
>> Things like a pressure washer in the dock shack to clean the dock,
>> salt in a bucket during the cold months, cleaning station built and
>> installed properly, boards and 4x4's ready in dock shack to be
>> installed by members if need be. Ladder in case of someone falling
>> into water. Lighting around dock.
>>
>> Bathrooms - Toilet and washing hands facility at bottom of ramp.
>>
>> Water - Possibly water available to dock shack for power washing/
>> cleaning station can be salt water.
>>
>> Fishing Derby/ Fundraisers etc - I understand that Sooke owns the
>> pier coming out beside the launch. That would be a great place for
>> the locals to have there fishing derby's banquets. These derby's do
>> give back to the community especially the sooke food bank.
>>
>> So to sum it up...locals pay $40 per year to use the parking stalls
>> at the Prestige. Display Stickers in order to use the spots.
>> Overflow goes to Jock's for there fee. Possibly a charge of $6
>> dollars for parking fee? Especially if Mrs Smith is getting a tax break.
>>
>> In short order this facility would make a good impression to all.
>> Right now locals are confused and feel like we have given a launch to
>> the prestige and the Smith's to make money off. With these idea's I
>> believe we could really make a difference for the community while
>> still helping out Mrs. Smith.
>>
>> I am completely open to sitting down with Sooke staff to make this
>> work and open to discussion's and information to get this to make
>> sense for all parties. Sincerely, Ryan Chamberland. 250 858 3611


Letter # 2
Mayor and Council, I have researched the "Building Canada Fund - Communities Component" a program we received funds from to help out with the cost of the public boat launch. I read in the Sooke News Mirror the following, "Councillor Rick Kasper stated at the council meeting on Aug. 13, “as a condition for the federal and provincial money, a fee for boat launching would be applied, it was part of the submission to the federal and provincial governments.”
I did not see a part in any of the sections where we had to explain to the government how we would recouperate any money for the project. An example similar to our project could be the Skate Park in Tofino. The community does not have to pay to use that facility. After reading through all of the requirements and criteria in all of the types of projects that were available I could not find anything on there being a requirement to pay for usage. I would like to see where in the application documents the governement asked how he would make money back. I also found in the package under recreation this criteria that was expected of the project that would make my plea for a Sooke Boating Association to handle the facility, "The project must demonstrate how it provides benefits to Canadians in support of
at least one or more of the following additional outcomes:
• Supports an active and healthy lifestyle for Canadians.
• Anchors and stimulates urban and/or community building and/or revitalization.

I feel that making the launch cheaper to those that have the Active lifestyle is also supporting a healthy lifestyle. Having the association would undoubtebly bring the community together and make it a great place for people to visit and use.

The proper handling of money in this town continues to be an issue. This one is confusing residents in there being no real release of what happens to the money after "Jocks Dock collects", as stated in the news mirror. As well as making sense out of all of the projects that have happened. Why has this not gone to tender just like the, could have been made in sooke garbage cans. Why post the signage January 1 without having this go to a public meeting/tender process before any money is collected?

If members would like to read the faq's and frequently asked questions about the BCF-CC please click on links below to see if you can find anything where charging a fee to use a BCF -CC sponsored facility is required.

I understand we have to charge people to use the public boat launch, but there are locals who have waited a long time for a place to launch there boat at, to go check there crab traps for 15 minutes or fish possession point for 2 hours at morning/night…a charge of $10 would deter people from being active/healthy and also some families/ taxpayers in this community cannot afford the charge to get a quick meal for there family, or even a canoe/kayaker out for some exercise for the same matter.

I hope we can all make sense of this issue with an annual fee, a sticker on your vehicle that allows you to be the only vehicle parked in the Prestige stalls. Janet Evan's said she was doing what the locals wanted and that was a SOOKE public boat launch…not prestige, not jocks please.
 
I've used them ramp 3-4 times in the past 2 weeks and paid the $10 each time. After the trip with the boat back on the trailer my regular routine is to stop somewhere for lunch. I've tried each time to stop somewhere to support a Sooke restaurant but after circling the block a few times I have given up and driven into Victoria to eat. I' m sure others with boats behind from town are experiencing the same situation and Sooke businesses are loosing out. The ramp itself is fine and fortunately I only use it in the early season when parking isn't an issue. A cleaning table, water and a toilet are things that should be on the "to do" short term list. I'm in favour of an annual membership but I don't think it should only be available to the residents of Sooke. I live in Esquimalt and we don't exclude the residents of Sooke from buying an annual membership for that ramp. If Sooke residents get a bit of a break to help offset their capital expense to build it, that is fair and I support that.
 
I have used the ramp several times and it's a great all tide ramp
Unfortunatly the wild card here is the lack of parking beyond the 20 parking spots .Jocks docks want $10 for excess parking So somebody that got there late 5 times and there was no parking left cost the future assocation $50 and thats just for 5 trips So $40 per years ? Hummm... Profisher used the dock 4 times in the last 2 weeks
And the town is trying to outlaw the parking on the highway which stretches about 1/2 mile each way on both sides disturbing the locals and blocking line of sight for safe highway traffic
The one thing I agree with is the we need some sort of management at the public launch I suspect that we are talking about 4000 plus launches and parking per year Plus the locals that just drop and launch with no parking
This ramp does bring a lot of benifits to the merchants of Sooke
But to us locals it just means more people on the water LOL
Note to self "Don't post after dark "
 
Thanks for all the excellent input! I'll summarize the various points & issues and we'll be organizing a steering committee in short order. SIRA has a small bank account left over from our efforts to get HV opened for permit access to the lakes, so we can just expand on that effort.
 
Just thought I would tell you the washroom situation is bad down there if anything. Most people go into Prestige.....

2 of the 5 SIRA directors are women, so be assured that has not gone un-noticed. Q: What is the most important thing for a man to consider when going fishing? A: Ask your significant other. ;)
 
That's an interesting point of view that the quote "Non - locals wishing to launch their boat at the Prestige would be
allowed to do so
, BUT would have to pay the fee at next doors Jock's Dock". When in fact the costs of building the launch was born by others and not just the Sooke resident. As you can see below the break down of the actual costs involved and who bore them. Granted Sooke tax payers paid aproximately one third of the costs the "Build Canada grant accounted for one third of the cost too in which all tax paying Canadian citizens contributed to. I believe that the idea was for a Public Launch and not one tailored to favour any particular user group and perhaps that may have been part of the condition of the grant in the first place. I would add that if exclusivity was the agenda that the grant would not have been so easy to acquire and in all likelyhood would not have been built at that time or if at all. I also believe that perhaps the basis of pursuing this launch in Sooke was also to attract Anglers and other user groups into the community to spend their money there and this would promote Sooke as a destination for access to a world class fishery and the economic spin offs that may occur in the future as a result.
This anticipated influx of money was probably a big motivator for the Council at the time. If Sooke residents wanted a "resident only" club they should have paid 100% of the cost then they could in all good conscience charge an acceptable user fee if desired. But as regularly seen, especially amongst anglers, emotional issues can be devisive to say the least. Perhaps one of the very reasons why we would never be an organized voice with a will to change the current regime. Unfortunately we fight to much amonst ourselves to ever be taken seriously. Just a humble guys opinion. But anyway a quick google search produced the details below.
Water based works: $1.1 MillionLand Based works: $0.4M($400,000)Pier: $0.2MContingency (8%): $0.14MTOTAL PROJECT COST: $1.84MLess: -$0.605M(Build Canada Grant)-$0.4M (Prestige Hotels for land based works)-$0.2M (Prestige Hotels for Public Pier)TOTAL COST TO SOOKE $0.635M(35 cent dollars)​
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Statler, In theory I 100% agree with what you said. My reasononing for suggesting Sooke annual membership holders only parking in the spots designated at the Prestige Hotel location is because there are so few spots. 15 to 18 ish maybe. Our launch is way smaller than all of the other lower island launches and the stall were poorly thought out. In most cases people have to double park so that they are not blocking fire trucks from going to the bottom of the hill. The other side of the story is that Sooke council recognized after they had built this "free" public launch...that they had taken a lot of business from the family run business next door. So hence the new fee at the launch. Sooke tax payers have given a lot of money towards the entire complex down there and we all feel taht we deserve first rights for a parking spot now...my worry is that the Prestige will be solely benefiting from the launch especially in the good months of fishing by letting there guests keep there trailers there all day...then putting there boats on the trailers for the night for days in a row while they stay at the hotel. I want those people to go next door where there is more room for storing boats or mooring overnight, which creates the Smith's good business. Our council has recognized that the free public boat launch was not good for one business, all I am trying to say is lets direct a good amount of business next door, and also to have a local association that can make the most of something that can be so much more than just a boat launch.
 
I heard Jocks put pressure of the Muni. of Sooke to start charging because they lost business. I don't mind paying if the money goes to improvements, but not if money goes to Jocks.. If you can't compete in business then you shouldn't be in business.
 
BlackPearl I can certainly understand the frustration. I have used the ramp before and can appreciate the issues. Would be an interesting discussion to come up with a solution that would satisfy everyone. As for Jock's next door I can also see how it impacted their bottom line too. Although Sooke decided to build the ramp next door there were a lot of variables in that decision. Such as land cost, location and that probably a combination of grants, taxes and the fact that the hotel being built was the major contributing factor. I don't believe that it would have happened if that didn't proceed. However Jock's ramp has been in that condition for a lot of years and if you're the only game in town there really isn't much incentive to improve. There is now though and I wonder what their plan might be now? If they were gauranteed X amount of dollars for x amount of time then I suggest that not much will change. If however they were to take responsibilty for their own infrastructure and grow the business as in any competitive market there would be two usable ramps and the majority of the issues would resolve themselves. A competitive user pay system would then be an effective way to manage parking, upkeep and facility upgrades without undue hardship on either side and as users we could make our owe choice as to which one to use. Much like using Pedder Bay or Cheanuah. Both by the way offer very good facilities and although not that far apart both seem to do quite well. One fully commercial and the other not so much. If seen from a different perspective there can be some similarities that could be drawn as to the situation between the Municiplaty of Sooke and Jock's Dock.
 
Also the land that the ramp and driveway are on once belonged to the Smith's and they sold it to the town. Can't have your cake and eat it too.
 
Well there you go. What else can you say? If you couldn't figure out that you were selling the land to a competing interest that was setting up on your property line and you couldn't see the ramifications of that and how it would effect your bottom line well.....my sympathy factor just took a litle nose dive.
 
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