INSIDE

Gellatly putting changes into gear

By Meg Olson

After a few months on the job, new marina manager David Gellatly has some changes in the works.

Speaking to the crowd at the May Point Roberts chamber of commerce meeting May 16. Gellatly said he wanted to start with greater use of the marina club and continue to build what the marina has to offer, so that boaters have more and more reasons to come to the Point Roberts marina. “We’re looking at ways to enhance access to and enjoyment of Point Roberts through the marina,” he said.

First steps will be to add more events at the Marina Club. “It’s a little used facility, and it needs to start generating revenue,” he said. Special events are being planned for weekend nights throughout the summer, starting with a fight night on June 8 when they will have the Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson fight on the big screen. “It’s a steak sandwich, a glass of beer and a place to sit back and enjoy the fight,” Gellatly said. During the week he said they would be encouraging club members to book space for business meetings, and on the weekend use the picnic area for family or boating get-togethers.

“We will have two power squadrons coming in for their annual picnics,” he said. “We’re also looking at other concepts for events like salmon or crab feeds.” Marina club facilities and events are open to marina tenants, social club members and their guests. Social membership in the club costs $10 per year.

Gellatly is also trying to bring on-the-water business to the marina. “We’re trying to encourage whale-watching,” he said. “We’ve spoken to EcoTours in Ladner and they’re putting together a plan right now to look at feasibility for this summer.”

Linking up the marina to the rest of the Point is also a project Gellatly wants to start this summer. “The long-term vision is to have a trolley to run people up to the golf course, Gulf Road, the grocery store,” he said.

Making the marina a more friendly presence from the water, staff will begin monitoring VHF Marine radio channel 68 to give information and assistance to visitors coming into the Point.

Salmon fishing is closed until July but Gellatly said they planned to enjoy the fishing season when it got here. “We have two fishing derbies planned on weekends in August,” he said. With the possibility of little or no commercial fishery off the Point this year, Gellatly said San Juan Seafoods had cancelled its lease on the commercial fish dock opposite Dockside Café. “If there’s no fishing there’s no point in their having the lease,” he said. “If there are fish openings we will resume discussions with them.”

To keep tenants abreast of what marina management has in the works, Gellatly has started a newsletter to go to marina tenants every other month.
The most recent one outlined lobbying efforts to get Point Roberts designated a CANPASS pre-clearance port, gave tips on insurance and boat registration and announced increased flotation for seven of the 18 docks.

“We have lots of ideas,” Gellatly said. “Sometimes it’s difficult to turn ideas and concepts into reality but everyone here seems to want to see it happen, so we’re trying.”.

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