By ROY WOOD

The boat moorage portion of the proposed Gyro Park Pier has been dropped from the plan because of safety and financial concerns and over the objections of one member of council.

At its regular meeting Monday, Osoyoos Town Council voted to approve the so-called “Gyro Park Pier advancement Plan” so that design work can continue on the pier.

But, after much discussion, council voted four-to-one to delete the boat moorage portion of the proposal from CTQ Consultants’ final report.

The moorage would have provided four boat slips on the outside of the pier and connected by a ramp. The idea was to enable water connections between downtown and other spots on the lakeshore.

The pier would begin on the eastern-most point of Gyro Park and extend southward into the lake. In that orientation, the structure would be clearly visible looking east down Main Street.

The other six components of the project were left intact. They include:

• the 60-metre long steel pile supported pier;
• an on-shore walkway from the Gyro Park Plaza;
• a gazebo at the southern end;
• on-shore connecting nodes and pathways;
• a wheelchair ramp into the water; and,
• a jumping tower and water-play area.

Councillor CJ Rhodes led the discussion against the moorage, suggesting the proximity of a water-play area and the moorage of powerboats, even though they are on opposite sides of the pier, raises safety concerns.

As well, said Rhodes, the moorage part of the proposal would be very expensive. “I would go out on a limb and say it would be between $100,000 and $150,000.

“(The project) is going to be a financial challenge. We have to be careful about how we design it,” he said.

Councillor Carol Youngberg expressed concern that the idea for the moorage came out of the charrette and other public input on the proposal. She pointed out that council would be going against the expressed views of members of the public who offered input.

She also pointed out that some members of the business community have been enthusiastic about the possibility of potential customers having a way to get to downtown businesses.

In the end, Youngberg was the sole vote against dropping the moorage portion of the proposal.

The consultants will now proceed to a detailed design, which will include “working drawings, class B cost estimates for each component, and acquisition of environmental permits,” planning director Alain Cunningham said his report to council.

The pier project is one of the priorities to come out of the 2012 Waterfront Gyro Park Plan and approved by council.

Assuming budget approvals, construction could begin as early as next year.

The consultants have estimated the cost of the plan as conceived at a little over $500,000 for the pier only and the eventual total cost at between $600,000 and $700,000.

Funding will come from the resort municipalities funding program.

Osoyoos is one of 14 municipalities that receive such funding, aimed at increasing resort and visitor activities and amenities. Last year the town’s allocation from the fund was about $400,000