The District of Sechelt has closed the float at the end of the Davis Bay Wharf until further notice as the float and ramp have become a hazard in wavy conditions.
In a staff report on June 24, superintendent of parks and public works John Mercer said the ramp and float pitch quite badly during small wave swells.
“The float collides with the pile hoops and this causes it to make abrupt movements,” Mercer said. “There is a risk someone could fall down the ramp and a risk someone could fall into the water off the float. Should someone fall down in the area of the pile hoops, they could be severely injured in the pinch points.”
Concern for the safety of the public prompted the District of Sechelt to close the float, and council is now considering its options.
Originally the District was planning to remove the float and store it at a cost of upwards of $8,000, but this week council decided to explore wave mitigation measures that could fix the problem for the same or lesser cost.
“If a viable mitigation option can be recommended to council, council may authorize to have the ramp and float stay in place (but closed to public access) while the mitigation measures are taken,” said Connie Jordison, Sechelt’s communications manager.
“The cost of the mitigation measure would vary with the option chosen, but leaving the ramp and float in place would save the cost of removing and repositioning the ramp and float.”
In his report to council, Mercer suggested looking at wave mitigation strategies, noting that “the simplest and least expensive option may be a floating log bundle breakwater. This would consist of a floating bundle of about six large logs anchored to the bottom on the open water side of the float.”
Council will weigh all the options, as it wants to do what it can to save the public amenity and make it safe for public use once again.
“Council recognizes that these are popular amenities for visitors and residents of our community, and that they were built as part of a community partnership project,” said Mayor Bruce Milne. “That said, it is the District that has the responsibility to ensure that public use amenities are safe.”
The float was constructed by Pelagic Technologies Inc. as a donation to the community during the revitalization of the wharf in 2014. It’s a standard Canadian federal government small vessel design, according to Jordison, who noted wave action was seen as a potential concern during construction.
“It was expected that the original piling would help to decrease the wave force; unfortunately, these have proven insufficient to ensure that stability can be maintained at a level where the float can be safely used by the public during the prevailing westerly wind conditions, experienced in Davis Bay during the summer months,” Jordison said.
The Davis Bay Wharf will remain open while the ramp and float are out of service.
