Fintry Queen paddlewheeler seeks new digs in South Okanagan
PENTICTON – The Fintry Queen is looking for a new home at the south end of Okanagan Lake.
Owner Andy Schwab approached the regional district board today, May 3, in a bid to seek its endorsement for use of a temporary mooring point off Kickininee Provincial Park for the excursion paddlewheeler.
Schwab hopes to build a tourist attraction out of the former West Bank to Kelowna car ferry, which he plans to use to allow tourists and residents access to the lake’s south end communities.
He envisions the ship departing Penticton in the morning and taking tourists to Naramata where they might engage in a wine tour before getting on the ship again to go to Summerland or Penticton.
“Wherever the demand is,” he told the board.
More than $800,000 in mechanical work was done on the ship between 2006 and 2008. Schwab said the only work remaining on the boat is cosmetic in nature.
“It’s a tough ship to moor,” he said, noting its size and superstructure makes it a target for Okanagan Lake winds.
The Kickininee site is one of the best anchorage spots in the south end of the lake, but Schwab said the ship will still need a $30,000 investment in an 11,500 lb. anchoring system.
Schwab said he has received approvals for the site from B.C. Parks and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, but needs regional district support to move forward. He approached the District of Summerland and the City of Penticton several years ago about locating the ship in those communities, but he ran into financial difficulties when his partner suddenly died. He has a new group of financiers behind him now.
Schwab said the ship’s operation could generate 30 to 40 jobs and $500,000 in local purchases annually, with a minimal risk to the region district.
The Kickininee site would be only be used as a safe haven for the ship, as Schwab hopes to develop agreements for moorage or docking in Penticton, Summerland or Naramata. Schwab said he was using this year to secure moorage and get the ship down to the south end of the lake in order to begin public engagement.
Summerland director Peter Waterman expressed concern about the financial viability of the enterprise, but Schwab assured him “we aren’t going anywhere until we have the money to do it.”
West Bench director Michael Brydon reminded the board they weren’t in the business of second guessing someone’s business viability and shouldn’t be standing in the way.
The board agreed to provide a letter of support to allow Schwab to apply to the province for a temporary moorage for the Fintry Queen off Kickininee Provincial Park.
The Fintry Queen operated as a tourist attraction from a landing pier in Kelowna’s Kerry Park for more than 50 years. It was relocated to the north end of Okanagan Lake in September 2016.
Find past stories on Fintry Queen here.
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