I have just returned home from the AGM of the Point Holmes Recreation Association. As a concerned member, I would like to offer to this forum the details of our meeting, and make public the concerns we are faced with.
The boat ramp at Point Holmes was constructed in the 60's, and some of the original members that constructed the ramp are still active members in the PHRA. The Point Holmes shoreline was brought into the Town of Comox recently, and the PHRA has secured a Foreshore Lease from the town, allowing it to operate and maintain their boat ramp. What we are faced with now are rising insurance costs, insurance that the PHRA is legally required to purchase by agreement to the town of Comox. We are faced with rising maintenance costs; for basic cleaning of the ramp to keep it safe to walk on, and for major resurfacing and repairing of the paved ramp surface.
Annual membership in the PHRA, which allows year long access to the boat ramp, is only a small fee of $30. This gives the member a sticker for their boat trailer, to show his support. Daily launch fees are only $5, and are to be dropped in the lockbox. Where else can you launch and park for $5?
The long and short of this is: many people feel this is a 'public' ramp, and they do not need to pay anything. Their fathers didn't and their grandfathers didn't, so why should I? The ramp is not policed, and a drop box for day use is not being used by most that are using the ramp these days.
Unfortunately, the consensus was drawn, we need to;
1) Either generate a bit more income through memberships and/or daily user fees,
2) Put a keyed gate in place to allow access to only membership, thus reducing our liability insurance somewhat,
3) As a last resort, the Town of Comox has said we could have the entire ramp structure removed, at our expense, returning it to it's native state. The town is not going to take over the ramp.
Our overwhelming position is to simply generate a little more income, and feel that we have the support of the users through either annual memberships, or paid daily user fees. We do not want to lose our precious Pt Holmes boat ramp, after all, it’s a much shorter run from there to Kitty...
Thank you, Lazoman
The boat ramp at Point Holmes was constructed in the 60's, and some of the original members that constructed the ramp are still active members in the PHRA. The Point Holmes shoreline was brought into the Town of Comox recently, and the PHRA has secured a Foreshore Lease from the town, allowing it to operate and maintain their boat ramp. What we are faced with now are rising insurance costs, insurance that the PHRA is legally required to purchase by agreement to the town of Comox. We are faced with rising maintenance costs; for basic cleaning of the ramp to keep it safe to walk on, and for major resurfacing and repairing of the paved ramp surface.
Annual membership in the PHRA, which allows year long access to the boat ramp, is only a small fee of $30. This gives the member a sticker for their boat trailer, to show his support. Daily launch fees are only $5, and are to be dropped in the lockbox. Where else can you launch and park for $5?
The long and short of this is: many people feel this is a 'public' ramp, and they do not need to pay anything. Their fathers didn't and their grandfathers didn't, so why should I? The ramp is not policed, and a drop box for day use is not being used by most that are using the ramp these days.
Unfortunately, the consensus was drawn, we need to;
1) Either generate a bit more income through memberships and/or daily user fees,
2) Put a keyed gate in place to allow access to only membership, thus reducing our liability insurance somewhat,
3) As a last resort, the Town of Comox has said we could have the entire ramp structure removed, at our expense, returning it to it's native state. The town is not going to take over the ramp.
Our overwhelming position is to simply generate a little more income, and feel that we have the support of the users through either annual memberships, or paid daily user fees. We do not want to lose our precious Pt Holmes boat ramp, after all, it’s a much shorter run from there to Kitty...
Thank you, Lazoman
