Malahat Nation signs agreement with CVRD and Mill Bay Marina

Press Release

October 10, 2014

NEW PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE BOAT LAUNCH ANNOUNCED

Mill Bay, BC – Boaters across the South Cowichan should take note of the cooperative agreement reached today between Malahat Nation, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) and Mill Bay Marina to improve marine access for the public to Saanich Inlet and the Salish Sea. The three parties have collectively agreed to work together on establishment of a new publicly accessible boat launch on Mill Bay Road just north of Vedier Point by July 2015, complete with upland parking for vehicles and boat trailers.

“The cooperative agreement in place secures community access and use of a new boat launch which should serve the needs of local boaters for decades to come,” notes Electoral Area A – Mill Bay/Malahat Director Mike Walker, “The relocation of boat traffic off the narrow Handy Road will make it safer for the local community to access the waterfront in this location, as well as providing boaters with more than ample parking and tie-down area at the new site.”

The new boat launch is designed to operate at all tide levels and an extensive parking area will be located within Malahat Nation’s reserve next to the launch. This new boat ramp will replace the existing public launch at the end of Handy Road in Mill Bay, which has served the community for many years. Plans were in motion to replace the Handy Road Boat Launch when the opportunity to work with Malahat Nation on a new and fully accessible boat ramp arose.

“Malahat Nation welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with the broader community and local businesses on mutually beneficial developments that bring greater capacity to our Nation,” Chief Michael Harry observes, “In addition to the new boat launch, Malahat Nation is also working on creation of a public waterfront walkway from Vedier Point to the north end of the reserve, which we encourage community partners to come forward to further extend to into Mill Bay Village”.

The existing launch ramp on Handy Road will be removed concurrent with opening of the new boat launch on Mill Bay Road and in its place the public waterfront walkway in front of Mill Bay Marina will be extended. A new smaller ramp will also be installed to continue to provide water access for the launch of dinghies and kayaks.

– 30 –

For more information, please contact:
Cowichan Valley Regional District:
Brian Farquhar
Manager, Parks and Trails Division
Phone: 250.746.2620
Email: bfarquhar@cvrd.bc.ca

Malahat Nation:
Lawrence Lewis
Phone: 250.743.3231
Email: lawrencelewis@malahatnation.ca

NT4