Dear Gimli Harbour Boaters,
It has been a busy summer around the Gimli Harbour with week after week of fabulous weather, ideal for boating and celebrations like the Gimli Canada 150 Celebration, Canada Summer Games and Icelandic Festival. For the first time this year, the Harbour participated in the Gimli Canada Day events, hosted a fundraising fish fry and facilitated Zumba fundraisers for the Lake Winnipeg Foundation. Thank you for helping to make the Gimli Harbour a welcoming place.
Also, thank you for limiting parking times on the piers to loading and unloading only. Keeping the piers and harbour area clear and safe for pedestrian traffic and emergency vehicles ensures safe access for everyone throughout the Harbour. Thank you also for helping to keep the Harbour community clean by using the dumpsters at the end of the piers for your household (boathold?) refuse. We appreciate the efforts you make to assist us with this. Keeping the Harbour clean makes it more enjoyable for everyone.
Improvements to the Gimli Harbour this fall and winter
Several improvement and maintenance projects are taking place this fall and winter. On August 30, the South parking lot paving project started. An update from Small Craft Harbours at the GHA AGM on August 30th indicated that if things go as scheduled, the lot will be able to be opened to cars sometime mid to late September. A couple of weeks later it can be open to heavier vehicles such as boats for winter storage. For updates on this, please contact the Harbour Office.
Also, this fall, the red navigation light at the end of the Main Pier is being replaced with a new LED light, bringing it up to Department of Fisheries and Oceans standards. This should be taking place between September 18th and 29th. A helicopter is being used to remove the old light and install the new one. The southern end of the Main Pier will have to be closed for 3 days during this time.
Lastly, starting October 15th, a large project to repair principal docks on C,D,E, and F-J will begin. Nineteen new principal docks will replace decommissioned docks. Others will be repaired or reused. The finger docks will have to be removed, stockpiled and fenced on Bill’s Hill for the duration. Please remove all personal belongings from the principal and finger docks by October 15th. Finger docks will not necessarily be placed back in the same locations and anything left on the principal docks becomes salvage for the contractor. You will notice some changes in the location of some finger docks in the spring. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Fee changes and slip renewal for 2018
In general, fees have gone up across the board to reflect the increasing costs incurred by the Harbour Authority related to the growing demand for power, security, internet service, parking, and space for larger boats. The cost of maintaining and improving the existing infrastructure and facilities also continues to increase.
In an effort to standardize fees for berthage and services, you’ll notice that now all docks with the same services are the same price, no matter where they are located in the Harbour. Fees for docks with power include the use of one 30 amp service. If a second plug is required, a fee of $100 is applied. All electric cables must be marine grade. Extension cords with 30 amp plugs or adaptors are not suitable or safe in a marine application and will be removed.
Also, the cost per foot now applies to the overall length of the vessel including accessories such as swim platforms and davits. As the demand for berthage for larger boats continues to grow, it is critically important for the Harbour Masters to know the actual space a boat requires to prevent pulpits and anchors from hanging over docks, and davits with attached zodiaks from extending into navigable channels. Therefore, “overall length” as opposed to “boat length” will be used for planning, berthing assignments and berthage fees.
Secondary vessels are also subject to a fee. Slip users with non-motorized vessels such as kayaks, paddleboards and inflatables are expected to store them on their boat. Motorized Inflatables under 9’ in length can be stored in your slip for $90. Motorized vessels such as jet skis and inflatables that are 9 feet in length or longer must be registered for a communal slip or jet ski port.
It is hoped that the new fee structure better reflects a fair, standardized approach to berthage and the additional services and space required by individual boaters.
Slip Renewal and Payment Options
A deposit of $200 is required to reserve a slip for 2018. Please complete the slip renewal form and return it with the deposit to the Harbour Office by September 30, 2017. Fall office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:00am to 4:00pm, and Friday and Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Two payment options are now available:
- The balance can be paid in full by May 15, 2018 or
- Four posted dated cheques (dated Feb 1, March 1, April 1 and May 1) can be submitted with the $200 deposit in September.
Payment can be made by cash, cheque, debit, VISA or Mastercard. A 2.5% convenience fee will only be applied to credit card payments made over the phone, not in person payments at the office.
Please contact the Harbour Office if you have any questions or require assistance completing your renewal form.
Thank you,
Gimli Harbour Authority
