Harrison Marina will never be the same.
The commercial marina will undergo a major reinvention beginning this spring, becoming a completely new facility before the summer's over.
The changes will start with a new name — it's now being marketed as Alice Springs Landing Marina through local real estate agents Linda and Freddy Marks. They've been hired on to promote and sell the slips that sit on the east side of Harrison Lake, and rolled out buying opportunities to prospective future slip owners at the Vancouver Boat Show over the weekend.
That's the other change.
There will no longer be annual moorage available, as the owners seek to lease off the slips to long term buyers. Leases are 30 years with prices starting at $40,000 (plus GST) for a 24 foot slip, with an option of purchasing another 30 for $1. The largest slips are 50 feet, fetching $90,000 (plus GST).
The number of slips in the marina will drop from the current 220 to 149, making room for 22 float home lots that will face the south end of the lake.
Current customers were given the first crack at the bat to purchase a slip, through an email fanned out earlier this month.
"We have had very good interest," Marks said, with a positive turnout at the boat show.
"I think this is a good fit for Harrison Hot Springs," he added, with an improvement to the marina as a facility overall, with work being generated by the project itself, and for improving the overall appeal of the resort community.
While the float home lots are not for sale yet, he suggested that sometime in the future those lots could even house home-based businesses, with the proper rezoning. The proposed cost for a float home lot is currently at $300,000.
The owners have talked for many years about improving the marina, and the approval process for developments on the water can take a very long time. The site was approved for rezoning by council back in 2013, to a comprehensive CD-4 zone, confirms Mayor Leo Facio. He said he's looking forward to seeing the development improve the community's image.
"I personally think that anything to upgrade and make that type of marina is going to be very attractive for guests and residents," he said.
The Harrison Marina website includes a list of upgrades to be taking place.
"We will have all new breakwaters, walkways and slips, with shorepower to all, also water and sani will be supplied to a number of slips in the future," the website says. "Slips will range from 24 to 50 feet. There is to be a Float Home Community using about one third of the waterlot to the south. With this new design our slips are limited to 146. We intend to market all our slips by way of the Longterm Moorage Agreement we have in place."
Feb. 1 marks the end of annual moorage, with refunds available to those who have paid in advance.
The architectural firm listed for the project is the Krahn Group, who have worked locally on projects like the Chilliwack Chances Casino, The Falls Golf Course, and a mini storage facility on Storey Avenue in Sardis.
The company to build the marina is called International Marine Floatation Systems, who have built numerous marinas around the Pacific Northwest, including Quayside, Thunderbird and Noble Cove in Vancouver, and Kennewick and the Port of Anacortes in Washington.
KM Civil Consultants is also listed on documents relating to the project, replacing Tubular Marine.
Down the road, anther phase of development is being eyed for the property — including residential units and possibly a restaurant.
Those plans were included in a proposal to the Village of Harrison several years, but are not included in the current plans, except in mock-up illustrations of the marina.
"That's not happening right away," Marks explained.
When the plan was brought to council in 2013, it was not without debate.
A lively public hearing was held in July, drawing in supporters and detractors.
The marina was already in need of repair then, according to one of the owners, Warren Moser.
"It's been here a long time," he told Black Press at the time. "It's tired and needs updates."
The redevelopment will result in development cost charges paid to the village. In 2013, it was estimated that plan (with a condo unit) would include about $876,000 in DCCs.