Harbour Air and Spani Developments say this could be the right time to look at shifting the main floatplane dock at Porpoise Bay from a private marina to the government wharf.
Doug Spani and Harbour Air’s local manager, Leah MacNeil, told Sechelt councillors March 21 that a new facility based on the models in Nanaimo and Victoria would “provide better travel to and from the Sunshine Coast” and fulfill many of the goals successive councils have tried to meet through expanding the airport.
Spani said the preliminary plan they’ve drafted allows for a small building for offices and ticket sales as well as expanded floats for both aircraft and boats and a breakwater structure. “It could be a good win-win for the community,” he said, adding that it would provide some stability in the event the privately owned marina/restaurant complex was ever redeveloped and the owners didn’t want to keep the floatplane dock.
“The Sunshine Coast has transportation issues that could be relieved by providing the foundation for future seaplane traffic by providing an aerodrome run by the town itself,” a written proposal presented to council said. “The cost of upgrading the wharf would be significantly less than upgrading the current airport on Field Road.”
MacNeil said they foresee a publicly owned facility that would be part of the harbour and open to any floatplane company that opted to use it. In the case of Harbour Air, she said, it would allow their larger Otter aircraft, which can carry more than twice as many passengers as a Beaver, to fly in and out of Sechelt.
Earlier this year, Sechelt received a $10,000 BC Rural Dividend grant to create a business plan aimed at “opportunities for increased tourism and economic activity, including the retention of the commercial fishery at Porpoise Bay Government Wharf.”
Several councillors suggested the water aerodrome idea could be folded into that study.
“This has been long talked about,” said Coun. Mike Shanks. “I think we should take the initiative and refer this to our staff to come back to us with a report on the options that have been presented to us here. Now that we’ve got $10,000, maybe we can use that in a wise way.”
Spani and MacNeil suggested that if the project goes ahead, Sechelt could look to organizations like the Island Coast Economic Trust, Western Economic Diversification, Community Futures and the federal government’s Small Craft Harbours Branch.
In response to a question from council, MacNeil also said Harbour Air would be willing to come to the table with up-front funding as well as signing a long-term lease agreement. “Head office is on board with this,” she said. “They’re willing to put money up front and have it paid off through a reduction in our long-term lease. We intend to stay here, we want to be here and we want something secure.”
