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Derelict boat at Island View Beach in Central Saanich waits for red tape removal

A derelict boat washed up on the beach at Island View Beach Regional Park in Central Saanich will likely be there for a while.
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Kevin M. McLaughlin took this photo Aug. 31 of a derelict boat at Island View Beach Regional Park. He’s wondering why is hasn’t been removed by the Capital Regional District. (Kevin McLaughlin)

A derelict boat washed up on the beach at Island View Beach Regional Park in Central Saanich will likely be there for a while.

At the end of August, park user Kevin McLaughlin took a photo of the boat and emailed it to the Capital Regional District, the local government body that manages the park. At the time, other users had told McLaughlin that the boat had been there for a while.

The Peninsula News Review contacted CRD Parks Committee Chair Mike Hicks, who at the time said “if anything is ruining the experience of the patrons of island View Beach, we’re going to try to fix it.”

However, that fix may be a long time coming.

In an email to the PNR after inquiries were made, Senior Manager of Regional Parks Mike Walton stated the boat on the beach is on a list of derelict vessels that are affecting area waterways and beaches. It list is being compiled by a working group of local and regional government bodies. It’s designed to identify derelict vessels, find their owners and “work through the removal and disposal process when owners cannot be found.”

“The working group is currently documenting vessels and had compiled a list and submitted it to Transport Canada for review and possible identification of the owner,” wrote Watson. “The boat at Island View Beach is on that list.”

He added the CRD has asked Transport Canada to fast track the removal and disposal process for the vessel.

“If no owner is found and the CRD is authorized to take possession of the boat, we will work with a marine surveyor to do a full assessment to make sure the boat is safe to move. We will then remove the boat and store it elsewhere while we go through the process for disposal of it.”

Watson stated he did not know how long Transport Canada’s process would take, adding the CRD would act quickly once the federal body approves the boat’s removal.



editor@peninsulanewsreview.com

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editor@peninsulanewsreview.com