Yacht club agreement goes a long way back

In the early years, Okanagan Lake was the Valley’s main highway and every manner of vessel from rowboat, to scow and barge, to elegant sternwheelers, fleets of tugs hauling rail cars, and, eventually, motorized car ferries covered the length and breadth of the lake.

The first automobiles were lashed to their decks in the early 1900s, and then school desks and settlers’ possessions were carried down the lake, along with dance-hall pianos, utilitarian wood stoves and everything else the growing communities needed.

And then, boxes of apples and onions and whatever else the communities could sell to the outside world were loaded on board and delivered to either Penticton or Okanagan Landing.

All of these vessels needed places to dock and unload, which were adjacent to the new settlements and orchards.

Though Kelowna bought the land for City Park in 1929, the lakeshore from Bernard Avenue north belonged to the Kelowna Saw Mill with hundreds of pilings along the shoreline to tie up their tugs, anchor log booms to feed the nearby planing and saw mills, and wharves, so lumber could be loaded and delivered up and down the lake.

The Kelowna power plant was adjacent to the mill while the CPR marshalling and shunting yards covered the rest of the land before Manhattan Point.

There was no public access anywhere along this considerable stretch of shoreline.

Following the Second World War, S.M. Simpson, then-owner of the Kelowna Saw Mill, entered an agreement with the City of Kelowna for the sale of the property which subsequently became known as the Simpson covenant lands, for the use and enjoyment of the citizens of Kelowna.

About that same time, he designated a portion of the lakeshore for use as a yacht club as he was concerned that the community was not guaranteed access to this significant part of the waterfront.

To ensure the lake would be accessible, he entered an agreement with the Kelowna Yacht Club, which specified they were entitled to use this land, in perpetuity, as long as they wished, and that it was to be available to the citizens of the community. If the club no longer wanted the site, the land would revert to the city.

The land at the foot of what was to become Doyle Avenue was made available at no cost and it is generally understood that there would be an annual lease, payable to the city, of $1, but no property taxes.

The “terrible eyesore” that was the original Yacht Club was a frugal attempt by a new organization to provide the community with a usable facility. Some years after the initial agreement, the club agreed to pay property taxes.

The claim that now-financially troubled yacht club members should “stop crying in their martinis” is pretty misleading.

City Hall wanted the land for the extension of Stuart Park and worked with the club to both honour their long-standing obligation while also achieving their aim of expanding the park.

The yacht club endeavours to keep its fees low to be as accessible and available to as many community members as possible. It has also provided a stunning visual addition to Kelowna’s waterfront in addition to providing a number of community service activities.

A commissioned study concluded there was sufficient parking in the surrounding community to accommodate the needs of the new club and, since the city is always trying to convince us to make better use of the municipal parkades, it was decided there was already adequate parking in the area.

Both city hall and the yacht club are trying to respect the spirit and intent of their original agreements. Undermining efforts to sort out the current challenges by providing only part of the story does not serve — nor give credit to — the efforts of those working to improve an unfortunate situation.

Sharron J, Simpson, Kelowna