Money for merchants from moorage: city official

PENTICTON – Moorage space means money to business in Penticton, according to the city's economic development officer.

A contested aspect of planned improvements outlined in the SS Sicamous Master Plan is the addition of seven day moorage slips on the jetty north of the SS Sicamous. 

About 30 people rallied against the planned moorage prior to the city council meeting this week, citing environmental issues and conflicts between boats and swimmers.

By using estimates derived from an established sports tourism funding model, and making some assumptions, economic development officer Colleen Pennington says 42 people per day would use the slips generating about $3,100 per day in revenue at peak boating season from May until October.

“We felt it was reasonable to assume three people per boat, and two turns per day of boats using the moorage. Our model suggested people would spend an average of $73 per day on food, souvenirs, wine, and entertainment,” Pennington says. “Some would buy more, some less. It was the best estimate we had, and it sounded right, seemed about right.”

Pennington noted adding moorage near the SS Sicamous wouldn’t change existing dynamics, as there is already a sign near the steamship indicating day moorage.

“Having moorage further out on the jetty as opposed to boats pulling up on the beach reduces conflict between beach users and boats,” Pennington says, adding she was comfortable with expert opinion that said environmental impacts from a seven slip wharf would be minimal.

“There are a number of restaurants and attractions like the SS Sicamous and Loco Landing to visit on that stretch of waterfront. If people can’t easily dock there, we may end up losing those tourists to Peachland or Summerland,” Pennington says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.