Editor:
I read with interest your article regarding the marina in the lagoon.
Common sense has finally prevailed but the costs are still totally out of line.
They propose to build 32 slips for $900,000.
Pardon my saying so but that is absolutely ridiculous.
My simple Grade 3 arithmetic tells me that is $28,125 per slip.
Yikes!
That equals my property taxes for 14.8 years for one slip.
I wonder how the yacht clubs across Canada build dozens of slips complete with pilings to support walk ways, utilities for each boat and do it for far less than $900,000.
If they had these expenses they would not be able to build anything.
Here I speak from personal experience.
Maybe it’s because they don’t have unlimited access to taxpayers of Osoyoos dollars to line someone’s pocket so they have a tight budget they must follow.
Let’s take a look at the potential costs.
Dredging the lagoon: $250,000 or less.
It’s a very small job.
Pilings for docks and walkways.
Thirty-two slips times four pilings per slip. Installed at $250 a piling equals $32,000.
Again this is a small job in a small space.
Cedar walkways to the slips at a minimum of six feet wide I’d guess $40,000.
Trusses to support the walkway again I’d guess $30,000.
As you can see I’m only at $352,000 and this is a Cadillac installation.
Dear editor, perhaps with your ear to the ground you can account for the remaining $548,000.
I smell a rat and someone needs to get on board that has some idea about putting in slips for small boats.
These are our tax dollars and even though we are only paying 50 per cent of the cost they seem to be scheduled to fly out the window from a lack of knowledge by those responsible.
David Eastbury,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-October 20, 2010
