 __ Whig 20070630(Updated: 2007.06.30 09:52:58 AM) |
Day dock now charges fees for service
Lisa Jemison
Local news - Saturday, June 30, 2007 @ 00:00
After using the day dock at Confederation Basin every summer for 30 years, Juliet Hutchings was surprised to learn that this summer, she'll have to pay to do so.
"About two weeks ago, we went over in our boat and saw the sign," she said, adding that she, and many others, are "pretty annoyed" at the new fee.
Because she comes in from Garden Island twice a week for a couple of hours each visit, the cost of docking will add up over the summer.
Bill Glover, councillor for Sydenham district, which includes Confederation Basin, said the fee was established with a bylaw approved by city council on a recommendation by city hall staff.
Ed Leeman, supervisor of facilities operations, which oversees the Confederation Basin marina, said the fee has been discussed for a number of years.
"The fees collected will go toward marina operations and upkeep," he said, adding that most municipalities charge for docking.
The cost - $3 for the first two hours and $1 per hour after that, for a maximum of $8 per day - is the same as city parking fees.
"It's so that the same level of operation is offered to the boater as to someone who drives their car," he said, adding that the docks will be able to better control daily boat traffic and offer better service.
The fee will only be collected during July and August, when there will be an attendant on duty, he said.
Leeman said he's not yet sure of how much revenue the city will will bring in through the fee. It has never kept track of the number of day dock users. "The number of stations will vary. There are less spaces available when it's a long weekend" because some boaters pay to dock over-night, he said.