The City of Vancouver has thrown a life vest to paddlers in need of a permanent home on False Creek.
City council voted Wednesday to go ahead with detailed plans for a facility for the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society, which celebrated its 25th anniversary over the weekend.
?Human-powered paddling is certainly not as well supported as it deserves,? Mayor Gregor Robertson said at council as he recommended completing concrete plans by the end of 2013. ?It?s time to get going on this.?
The commitment was stronger than the original motion brought forward by Coun. George Affleck, who was more than happy to accept the mayor?s revisions.
In the first stage of construction, the society hopes to build a huge floating dock, complete with storage and electricity, for about $1.5 million, general manager Ann Phelps told council.
Eventually it hopes to build onshore washrooms and a community space to host paddling and team-building sessions for both businesses and school children.
The 3,000 plus member society has long pleaded with city council for a home to host operations and store its equipment (some was stolen in June from its temporary structures).
It doesn?t care where the structure is located in False Creek ? though it hopes it will be near a SkyTrain station ? but hopes to build before development creeps into spaces that could host a boathouse.
And it won?t just be for dragon boaters, though the festival attracts 100,000 people annually. People with kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards also use the society?s docks, Phelps said.
Despite community approval to use community amenity contributions for such a facility, the plans stalled at city hall as different councils promised to address the issue eventually.
The city will spend up to $125,000 on facility planning by yearend so the society will have a chance to get funding in the next capital budget.
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