Sidney boat ramp stays open after outcry

After receiving a torrent of calls from recreational boaters over the closing of the town’s only public boat ramp, the Town of Sidney reversed its decision late Thursday.

This week, the town announced that it was temporarily closing the public boat launch to all but essential services due to lack of staffing and an appeal by the Canadian Coast Guard for boaters to avoid non-essential boating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The town put up signs warning that the Tulista Boat Launch would be closed to recreational boaters as of 3 p.m. Friday. It was to remain open to commercial operators by appointment if they were providing essential services, such as the transportation of goods.

Brett Mikkelsen, emergency management co-ordinator at the Town of Sidney, said the decision to close was taken, in part, because the town lacked the staff to patrol the boat launch to ensure physical distancing was being practiced at the municipal facility during peak hours.

He also noted that Roger Girouard, the assistant commissioner of the Western Region of the Canadian Coast Guard, had urged boaters to stay docked due to a greater number of searchand-rescue calls and the fear of spreading the COVID-19 virus to small coastal communities.

Recreational boaters pushed back on the plan, however.

Murray Mackay, owner of Advanced Subsea Services in Sidney, noted that the public boat ramp is affordable, costing $10 per use, yet a sign at the ramp directed people to Port Sidney Marina, a private marina that charges $200 to $300 per month for moorage.

“Many can’t afford those rates. But if you can afford moorage rates, you can still go out on the water,” he said, adding the public launch provides an important service for recreational boaters in the area.

“The Tulista Boat Launch is used every day by people going out on the water to clear their minds and harvest crabs and prawns.”

They voiced their displeasure by calling the town. Signs announcing the closure came down at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.

“We were not enthused about the choice to close either, but our top priority is the health and safety of the entire community,” said Mikkelsen.

“Fortunately, calmer minds prevailed and the folks at the Sidney Anglers Association stepped up to help craft a set of new safety guidelines that allows the Tulista Boat Launch to remain open.”

The two parties have agreed that members of the Sidney Anglers Association will serve as safety ambassadors to ensure that everyone adheres to physical-distancing protocols on the docks, at the ramp and in the parking lot.

“The closure seemed like such a knee-jerk response to fears around the COVID-19 pandemic,” MacKay said.