Project Overview
The New Brighton Dock, on the southwest side of Gambier Island, is owned by the the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), which is responsible for taking care of it, including insurance and meeting safety rules.
The Squamish Nation has said they do not want to continue to operate the dock. People in the Gambier Island community want to keep the dock and nearby barge ramp open to the public, and have asked the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) to consider taking over responsibility for both.
The barge ramp is on land owned by the provincial government, but no oneContinue reading
Project Overview
The New Brighton Dock, on the southwest side of Gambier Island, is owned by the the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), which is responsible for taking care of it, including insurance and meeting safety rules.
The Squamish Nation has said they do not want to continue to operate the dock. People in the Gambier Island community want to keep the dock and nearby barge ramp open to the public, and have asked the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) to consider taking over responsibility for both.
The barge ramp is on land owned by the provincial government, but no one is responsible for taking care of it or managing its use.
While the SCRD Board believes that the Province of British Columbia should be the one in charge of these facilities, the SCRD has hired a consultant to study the options. This study looks at what it might mean for the SCRD to operate the dock and barge ramp.
The SCRD is now asking the community if they think the SCRD should operate the dock and ramp, what level of service is needed, and how it should be funded. A questionnaire ran from mid-September to mid-October and the SCRD hosted in-person events on Gambier Island and on the Lower Sunshine Coast.
After this public engagement, the results and the final study will be shared with the SCRD Board to help them decide next steps.
Some Background
A feasibility study completed earlier this year looked at the financial, operational, and service implications of different management scenarios for the dock and barge ramp.
Key questions include:
- What role should the SCRD play in the future of the dock and ramp?
- Should service levels stay the same or change?
- How should any future costs be funded?
- Would you support an increase in taxes to support continued access and maintenance?
More background including reports can be found on the right of this page, if viewing on desktop, or you can scroll down if you are viewing on mobile.
