While fees always go up, it seems the services and amenities offered by the marina are constantly eroding. Here's a list of what we've lost over the years:

• 2022: A large part of the parking lot taken over by Cabaret Bijou for over 6 months of the year. Marina customers were not consulted on this.
• 2022: Boat launch ramp out of service (again) due to potholes, and failed attempts at earlier repairs.
• 2020: Launching crane taken out of service in the middle of summer sailing season. No reasons given as to why. Cal 20 fleet left stranded. Crane has not been restored. BCMCA had to make an FOI request for report on the crane and relevant documents. 
• 2020: Boat launching space at E dock, beside launching crane. Now permanently leased out.
• 2019: Laundry machines removed.
• 2019: Tide Grid removed. Marina patrons not consulted.
• 2019: Number of fobs now restricted to 2 per customer. Particularly problematic for boats owned by more than one person, or club boats operated by several people.
• 2018: Dock boxes and dinghy mounts ordered removed.
• 2018: Dinghy floats removed. Customers told they have to store dinghies on boats, or drag them all the way to a storage area at the back corner of the parking lot. Some floats (east side only) restored two years later, but a new fee now applies to use them. 
• 2018: Overnight privileges (up to 60 days in a year) removed from the contract.
• 2018: Visitors parking passes no longer available
• 2018: Lockers for patrons removed from marina office.
• 2018: BCMCA Notice Board removed. Posting of notices now strictly controlled by management.
• 2017: Workspace area in parking lot reduced.
• 2016: False Creek Ferries told they are not allowed to pick up or drop off patrons along L dock.
• 2015: Notice of Fees and Charges Meeting. Notices used to be posted well in advance so members could attend & speak at Parks Board meetings. Now it seems the policy is to keep members in the dark and get increases approved without the public being aware. 
• 2011: Fire alarm pull stations removed from docks. Apparently they never worked.
• 2010: Live-in caretaker discontinued. Residence was given over to artists group for several years.
• 2010: Ice chest removed.
• 2006: 10% Seniors Discount eliminated.
• 2004: Number of spaces in parking lot cut back to 168.
• Since 2000: West side boaters are stranded at very low tides, especially along AA and A docks. Management seems to think that maintenance dredging is not allowed by DFO, yet other marinas and commercial terminals do this all the time.

Going back even earlier, did you know...

• There used to be 2 launching cranes?
• There used to be over 300 parking spaces?
• Cultural Harmony Grove Park used to be a boat workyard?

While we do appreciate that some repairs have been carried out, these were nonetheless necessary to keep the marina operating at its current state. Asides from the addition of showers in 2014, the last time the marina saw any substantial upgrades was in 1986! (when dock fingers S and T were added.)

As many of you know, the crane was taken out of service during mid-summer of 2020, with no warning to marina users (especially the day sailor fleet!), no information as to why it was taken out of service, and no promises as to when, or even if, it would ever be put back into service.

The Cal 20 fleet's sailing season was cut short, and several emails to Parks Board management went unanswered, or gave vague reasons as to what was happening. On September 25, 2020, Mr. Tim Collins advised us that our request for more information should be handled through the City's Freedom of Information Department. Accordingly, a request was filed with the FOI office that same day, asking for any documentation related to the crane and wharf, over the previous few years, so we could understand if there had been any prior inspection report, concerns about qualifications for use, maintenance actions, etc. 

It took much longer than expected to receive the documents. Firstly, the FOI office initially wanted to charge us $720 for the information. A "Pay-wall" to discourage us, it would seem. After several negotiations with the FOI staff, we were able to reduce the scope of the request. Even so, the FOI office then told us that there were 3rd parties involved, and they had to be consulted, and give their approval for documents to be released. Each communication from the FOI office seemed to involve delays of several more weeks. 

At long last, we now have the documents. See this link:
www.bcmca.org/uploads/5/7/8/8/5788638/20210309_foi_release_2020-521_-_res.pdf

To summarize, these appear to be the concerns:

• Some welds which need to be assessed, if any cracking or corrosion is found
• The crane itself is only rated for 2,500 pounds, but the electric hoist is rated for 4,000 pounds, this is a no-no. (but was installed like this by whom? and had been like this for how long?)
• Condition of wood pilings below needs to be assessed. Uncertainty as to whether previously recommended repairs had ever been carried out.
• Concern by Mr. Tim Collins about who would be qualified to operate the crane (and mentions that there would be no instances where they would allow non staff members to use the crane). 

The most damning comment however, is an email from Mr. Tim Collins, dated Nov 4/2020, stating:

"This item is a throwback to the past and not sure that it is really required by the marina or VPB operations and subsequently may be removed."

If this statement by Mr. Collins gives any indication of management policy, it appears clear then, that the crane will be removed, and as usual, there was never any consultation of the marina users. Has the Cal 20 fleet (and other day sailor users of the crane) been thrown under the bus?

Throughout 2018, Members have campaigned against the 8% rate hike that was enacted at the November 2017 Park Board budget meeting, and the overall 30% rate hike that was threatened. Without our efforts it is safe to assume that we would have been hit with at least another 8% hike this year; maybe 10% if they had received no push-back.

Prior to the December 10th budget meeting, we sent a letter to the Commissioners and Staff protesting this gouging, and eight members spoke against fee hikes, deteriorating conditions, and loss of services. Many more members came out to join the audience. Marina members truly dominated the speakers agenda at the meeting - what a fantastic turnout!

As it turns out, we learned that the plans for another 8% increase had been dropped, instead only a 2% increase (consistent with inflation) was proposed. 

Following a proposal by Commissioner John Irwin, the proposed fee increase of 2% was reduced to 1%, in recognition of some of the difficulties (including the delayed construction project) at Burrard Civic.

This is a very good outcome - first the return of the 8% increase was chopped down to 2%, and now down to 1%. True, it's not zero, or a reversal of the big fee hike of last year, but it is significant nonetheless. Moreover, the recognition by the new Board that there is "work to be done" to improve things at the marina, sends a strong signal to the bureaucracy that the "status quo" is no longer acceptable. 

Heather Civic Marina patrons will also benefit from this reprieve, since their fees are pegged to ours, so if you know anyone over there you could let them know that BCMCA Members are saving them quite a lot of cash. Other marinas tend to follow Burrard Civic's pricing too, so it will be interesting to follow this in the marina market.
 
The proceedings of last Monday’s meeting are on video here…
http://civic.neulion.com/vancouverparkboard/index.php?clipid=3496272,001  
 
The meeting opened with a statement from the Finance Department that “Affordability is a priority.”
 
Finance Manager Steve Jackson’s discussion of marinas is at 07:21 in the video. At 11:27 Commissioner John Coupar asked what became of the intention for staff to consult with marina users regarding fees. A staff member responds that they weren’t able to meet with the marina users group in time for this budget meeting. (To clarify, BCMCA directors had been promised a meeting to discuss this on Aug 28/18, however it was cancelled by Parks Board staff, and never re-scheduled.)
 
At 14:14, Commissioner John Coupar asked for an update on capital spending projects at the marina. Mr. Jackson said the majority of work is complete, which is technically accurate for the "upland works" water and electrical supply, but a sizable part of the dock replacement phase remains far from complete.

At 17:14 the first of the marina patron speakers starts. There was a 5 minute time limit on each.
 
Speakers were:
 
Lorne Thomas
Sean Smith
Mark Powers
Joao Carlos d'Almeida
Peter Derviller
Michael Dirk
Ken Christie
 
The second phase of the meeting dealt with capital budget expenses, the video is here:
http://civic.neulion.com/vancouverparkboard/index.php?clipid=3496272,002
 
At  34:45, our two BCMCA Speakers addressed marina issues:
 
Lorne Thomas
Arno Schmidt

Some compelling arguments were made in favour of establishing a Contingency Fund (similar to what golf courses have), which would go a long way towards better long-term planning for capital improvements. It was also good to see many Commissioners ask many questions about marina issues.

We came away from this meeting with more than just a reduction in the rate increase for next season, We have also garnered the attention of the PB Commissioners and the Director of Finance. They are now aware that marina members are highly displeased with the previous year's 8% rate increase and the plan to continue with additional hefty hikes.

Commissioners have agreed that a meeting to discuss appropriate fee structure should be set up between marina members and Parks Board staff to better understand the discrepancy between Parks Board rate calculations and our own findings. Meetings to begin in January.

Following the meeting, Commissioner Camil Dumont has requested the opportunity to visit the marina to see first hand it's condition. We plan to meet sometime in January. We welcome increased interest in the marina from the other commissioners as well, and hope to build new relationships and understanding.

So there it is for now, the hard work we have put in the last 13 months is at last showing results. Our hope is to bring honest value back to the marina for your moorage dollar, and restore our enjoyment of the marina.

We would like to thank the Directors of the BCMCA, the members who spoke at the meeting, those who wrote to the Parks Board, and anyone else who has made the Parks Board aware of our concerns...kudos to you all! Every little bit helps!

On November 1st, the Parks Board hosted a second Open House meeting at the Parks Board office. All marina patrons were invited to attend. Topics of discussion included an update on the dock replacement project, dinghies and dock boxes, lighting, other ongoing work, and of course, marina fees.

The meeting minutes sent by Parks Board are available at this link.

The BCMCA has prepared our own minutes of the meeting, which attempts to capture more of the specific concerns brought up by attendees, and replies from Parks Board staff. These minutes are available at this link.

There will of course be differences in style of the meeting notes - we encourage marina customers to read both versions. The Parks Board did not allow recording of the meeting.

As you may recall, at this time last year, the Parks Board claimed that we were 30% below market rates, thus justifying an 8% rate increase for 2018, with further increases to follow. The graphs supplied in the presentation to the Board did not name any marinas, and several Freedom of Information Act requests were needed to get further information. Even then, the picture of how they arrived at their conclusions is still not complete. 

Our own research as of Dec 2017 showed that Burrard's rates were already 19% higher than the Lower Mainland average rates, or 10% higher than the average of all comparable marinas within 10 km of Burrard Civic.

The key is "COMPARABLE". The BCMCA applies simple criteria to what should make a "comparable" marina, namely:

• Not an "exclusive" club requiring additional membership fees (e.g., RVYC, False Creek YC, etc)
• Not a co-op that requires a large fee to buy into (e.g., Spruce Harbour Marina)
• Provides moorage for vessels under 30' in length (excludes marinas like Bayshore, whose minimum slip size is 46 feet)
• Not a brokerage where boats for sale are rafted up and packed in like sardines. (e.g., Granville Island Maritime Market Marina)
• Within a reasonable distance of Burrard Civic (10 km). This would include some marinas on the North Arm. Confusingly, the Parks Board includes Milltown, but excluded others nearby, and also included Reed Point Marina, which is over 18 km away, and Thunderbird Marina, over 13 km away.

Using the above criteria, the BCMCA has again researched marina rates to see now where we stand. Our findings as of Nov 1, 2018, now show we are 13% above this market average. See graph below.

Now that the municipal elections (and particularly the Vancouver Parks Board) are upon us, the BCMCA would like to make clear some of our political goals.

The BCMCA promotes the following principles:

1. ENVIRONMENT: A clean and safe environment for boaters at the marina.  
2. FAIR VALUE: Fair value for fees charged, not an ongoing reduction in services and conditions, while rates increase at more than double the inflation rate.  
3. CAPITAL PLAN: A long-term self-funded capital plan for necessary infrastructure repair and upgrades, not being shut-out when capital plan requests are made only every 4 years.  
4. ORIGINAL VISION: That the marina fees and policies be consistent with the original intentions of a Parks Board operated marina as envisioned in 1963, namely that it will serve "small boat owners of average income".  
5. MARINA MANAGEMENT: That boaters have a voice in how marina fees and policies are set, in regular, open, and transparent meetings with the Parks Board.  
6. PROMOTE BOATING: That the Parks Board recognizes that boating in this maritime city is an activity which should be promoted through appropriate use of the marina. 

To ALL Candidates running for Parks Board - do you support these goals?

To expand upon some of the points above:

1. ENVIRONMENT: Too often in the past, infrastructure at the marina has been allowed to deteriorate to the point where it becomes a safety hazard. 
   
2. FAIR VALUE: Historically, marina fees have increased at more than double the inflation rate, and consistently well above the increases set for patrons of other Parks Board programs. Marina customers now contribute over $1 million annually in excess of marina operating costs, which is diverted to other programs. The BCMCA promotes fair treatment and value for fees charged. 
   
3. CAPITAL PLAN: Since its construction in 1964 there has never been a capital plan and history shows the marina is shut-out when Park Board capital plan requests are made every election cycle. (now every 4 years).  As a result, Burrard Civic Marina has the lowest standard of maintenance of any marina in the area. The BCMCA promotes a conventional self-funded capital reserve similar to the contingency plan already in place at city-run golf courses.
   
4. ORIGINAL VISION: The stated intention of the marina’s founders in 1963 was to “serve small boat owners of average income".  The BCMCA promotes the principle that small boats continue to have a home at the marina, and that fees be consistent with this founding statement. 
   
5. MARINA MANAGEMENT: In 2017 and 2018 marina issues were deliberately excluded from the Park Board agenda, and any attempts to discuss the 30% rate hike at Board meetings were stone-walled. Do you agree and support that boaters are also citizens who should be welcome and actively invited to present their concerns to the Park Board?
   
6. PROMOTE BOATING: The Parks Board has put much effort into promoting non-motorized boating, but without much consultation or involvement of the marina community. The Parks Board's stewardship in this maritime city should signal its commitment to all forms of water sports, sport fishing, sailing, and all the many facets of boating, without excluding any user group.  
   

We have started a petition titled "Vancouver Park Board making boating a recreation for only the wealthy." and we hope you will add your name to it. 

It is very important for all members of the BCMCA to sign the petition and let other boaters in the marina know that the Park Board staff are not able to realistically justify the 8% increase for 2018, let alone a 30% over 3 years. 

All members of the boating community, especially those at Heather Marina, are also welcome to sign. 

https://chn.ge/2IHs6uJ

Almost a week ago I sent the email below to the Parks Board's pbmeetings@vancouver.ca contact email, and also left a voice mail on their Info Line. To date I have received nothing but crickets in reply. Your government at work, it would seem. 

I have just sent a follow-up email, adding that "the courtesy of a reply is requested". 

(email below sent March 16th, 2018)

Hello,

The Burrard Civic Marina Community Association has been attempting to speak with Commissioners about the marina fee increases since November, 2017. To date we have been unsuccessful in getting this issue onto an upcoming meeting agenda.

I understand that we can only speak to topics which are already approved for a meeting agenda. In the interest of Transparency, Collaboration, and Community Engagement, can you please tell us how we can get this topic onto an upcoming meeting agenda?

regards

Sean Smith
Burrard Civic Marina Community Association

PS - I have left a voice mail to your info line  604-257-8158 with the same request.

On Friday March 9th, 2018, the letter below was sent to all Commissioners, addressed individually to each. Several Commissioners had responded previously that they wished to see the information we had prepared. Our presentation of March 2 to VPB staff was included in the letter.

As of Friday March 16th, NO RESPONSES have been received.

Dear Commissioner,
 
After 3 months of delays in response to our FOIA requests, the Burrard Civic Marina Community Association has now established that your decision to accept staff’s recommendation to increase rates at Burrard Civic Marina by 8% and 30% over 4 years was based on incorrect information presented at the Special Meeting of The Board on November 14th, 2017.
 
Our research proves that the staff research into so-called “comparable marinas” was flawed on many levels. For example, mega-yacht, commercial, and relatively new marinas are definitely not “comparable” yet they were all thrown into the mix. In fact, when compared with truly "comparable marinas", Burrard’s rates are already above the average, although there is no other marina where many boats and docks are stranded on the sea bed at low tide, so direct comparison is really impossible.  
 
Commissioner, I would like to personally present our research to you and trust that The Board will welcome this opportunity to engage with the marina community to reconsider our fees in accordance with the services the marina provides, and a fair, unbiased evaluation. This is urgent as the 8% increase is due to come into effect on April 1st.
 
Thank-you in advance for your assistance.
 
Yours Truly,
 
JC d'Almeida
Director BCMCA
(presentation PDF attached)