CLARENVILLE, N.L. — The Clarenville Yacht Club is discussing ways to improve the local marina with the Town of Clarenville.
In a meeting with Clarenville councillor and recreation committee chair Keith Fillier, the club detailed ways the group can work with the town going forward. Fillier relayed the details of the meeting to council at its session Oct. 22.
According to Fillier, topics included slipway improvements as well as introducing programming to make the facility a more community-friendly place.
Some of the ideas discussed included a letter of support from the town to accompany funding applications to the provincial and federal governments, a possible cost-share agreement with the town, or forming a non-profit marina organization — complete with town representation.
As part of the recreation committee’s recommendation to council, it offered support for the yacht club's initiatives but would discuss further the town’s participation given any financial demands involved.
Fillier told council on Tuesday he compares the yacht club’s ultimate goal as being an established arrangement similar to the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation (ADAC) with White Hills Ski Resort.
Fillier also says the slipway by the marina is open to all residents of the town, while the yacht club maintains the dock area of the marina. The slipway has since deteriorated, needing maintenance in the future. It’s the cribbing of the slip that needs attention.
“They have a healthy group. They have no debt; their bills are paid promptly — but they really don’t have the capital money to put up to do infrastructure changes,” said Fillier.
“They’re looking for an avenue to acquire money, basically.”
With any type of community partnership, he added, the marina would be seen as more of an open facility — a public space with a possible day-use area and more community programming like paddle boarding to coincide with a town summer program.
“I like the idea of opening it up and make it a more community space,” said Fillier. “Any community like us, we’re lucky to have a marina there and we can help them to expand it to make it welcoming to our residents. I think it adds to the community.”
Council resolved to further the discussion with examples of how other municipalities, like Holyrood and Lewisporte, operate in a partnership with their marinas. Lewisporte owns the marina outright, while Holyrood has a not-for-profit group.
Yacht Club Commodore talks marina
In an interview with The Packet, Brian Avery, the Commodore for the Clarenville Yacht Club, spoke about the future the club envisions for the marina.
With projects like the slipway cribbing, Avery says it needs to find funding to address maintenance. In the past, projects were handled with bank loans, paid by their own revenue base.
He recognizes community improvement funds are available through shoreline beautification projects and more. Avery says the club needs to work with the town to access applicable grants.
As a result, the marina — while maintaining membership — can be seen as more of a community facility.
“There’s a section here we can probably do some work with,” he says. “Allow the public be able to come in and access it, have park benches and picnic tables.”
Avery says the club has already had contact with groups like Paddle Newfoundland and Labrador, potentially tying the marina further with a group like the Clareville Area Recreation Association.
“That’d be another avenue to strengthen our partnership with the town, improve our profile within the community, because at the end of the day, I hope that people don’t think of this as just a private club. I think it’s a facility that’s in the town of Clarenville and why not promote it as part of Clarenville.
“And hopefully down the road we’d be able to bring some more boaters in.”
With more open access come parameters to ensure safety and other limitations — but Avery says that’s easily done.
“On behalf of the marina, we’re very appreciative of the time the town has given us and look forward to any opportunities in the future to partner and move forward the marina.”
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