584 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Video from Barry Hobbis.

Honestly, the city should just go in, grab the boats and haul them out of the water, they have room in the city yard to store them, for free. If the owner shows up, have them show a "certificate of seaworthyness" or whatever. Those two boats that are underwater are obviously never going to go anywhere under their own power.

This is just stupid.

The dirty dozen: Gorge's derelict boats

By David Karp, Times Colonist June 17, 2010 6:13 AM Comments (2)

A growing collection of boats in the Gorge waterway poses a threat to the environment and should be removed, community members say.

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz0r7gDdzPu

Sometimes you just have to step up and do something, not say "our hands are tied because it is a federal matter" etc. Just go in, do it, if you get sued, so be it, a judge will hear why you did it and if any damges should be awarded. If it is criminal "theft" by grabbing them and placing them on shore and drying them out, I don't think any judge would convict if you pulled it out of the water, made it more safe, dryed it out, made it more secure and safe from weather, provided reasonable access to the owner and charged no fee.

[Baro]

Except you can't be sure in the legal culture we live in. You can't even defend your self from a violent attack without risking charges these days.

Moving sinking abandoned boats out of a busy harbour?? What about the emotional damage the owners might suffer from the humiliation of having their boats declared abandoned or unseaworthy? Where's the environmental study on the sustainability of moving these ships? What if an ecosystem has formed on the bottoms of these boats? And most importantly, what do the first nations think about moving these boats? This is a very complex issue we can't rush into. We need community involvement for all stakeholders and consultation and approval at the provincial and federal level.

[LJ]

We definitely should commission a study!

[VicHockeyFan]

So Oak Bay is gonna move a bunch of boats tomorrow, from near Oak Bay Marina.  How come they can do this and they can't do it on the Gorge?

 

http://www.cfax1070....buoys-and-boats

[G-Man]

I would bet that they were able to get Transport Canada on board due to the proximity of the marina and they can say that the boats pose a hazard to the waterway.

[Mike K.]

Most of the boats docked in Oak Bay are not lived in, right? But the ones in Vic West seem to all be occupied with full time residents.

[VicHockeyFan]

Most of the boats docked in Oak Bay are not lived in, right? But the ones in Vic West seem to all be occupied with full time residents.

 

I think you are right.  I wonder what the rules are, on where you can just go and drop anchor full-time.

[Bingo]

Most of the boats docked in Oak Bay are not lived in, right? But the ones in Vic West seem to all be occupied with full time residents.

 

Some of the boats anchored in the bay on the West side of the Oak Bay Marine have liveaboards on them.

[Coreyburger]

Some of the boats anchored in the bay on the West side of the Oak Bay Marine have liveaboards on them.

 

I think Oak Bay might also have a sea floor lease with the province over that area. I don't know if the City of Victoria has something similar.

[VicHockeyFan]

Oh, I see, these were only the non-live-aboards.   Any boat not moved after the warnings was just taken to the scrap yard.  Sounds too easy.

[Holden West]

2013:

The City of Victoria, like all coastal municipalities, has little to no authority on the [Gorge waterway]. Worried about the cost of enforcing marine health and safety in the area, some councillors have suggested that a third party, such as the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, might be better suited to handle the task.

Neither Transport Canada, which retains responsibility for enforcing navigable water regulations here, and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which oversees the marine habitat, seem to want to take the lead on the issue.

 

http://www.vicnews.c.../210477211.html

[Mike K.]

Meanwhile we're expending resources on those boats. I saw a police boat patrolling Vic West's water world the other day, all at the tax payers dime.

[VicHockeyFan]

Meanwhile we're expending resources on those boats. I saw a police boat patrolling Vic West's water world the other day, all at the tax payers dime.

 

Victoria has over 200 cops.  I'm not sure what your point is, all those cops keep patrolling Victoria streets at taxpayer expense every day.

[Mike K.]

How many times have the Victoria police patrolled your neighbourhood with a police boat? That's the point I'm trying to make.

[VicHockeyFan]

How many times have the Victoria police patrolled your neighbourhood with a police boat? That's the point I'm trying to make.

 

They patrol downtown in cars when they could be walking or riding bikes, and save fuel, car purchases, insurance.

[lanforod]

They patrol downtown in cars when they could be walking or riding bikes, and save fuel, car purchases, insurance.

And waistlines...

[Mike K.]

They patrol downtown in cars when they could be walking or riding bikes, and save fuel, car purchases, insurance.

 

You have no problem wasting money patrolling what is more or less an illegal encampment lived in by people who do not pay property taxes? Interesting.

[VicHockeyFan]

You have no problem wasting money patrolling what is more or less an illegal encampment lived in by people who do not pay property taxes? Interesting.

 

It's not illegal.  Anyone is allowed to live on a boat, as long as it's parked where it's allowed to be parked.  I think people that live on these boats don't cause a lot of trouble, certainly less trouble, garbage and filth than some homeless cause on the streets.  I mean, you'll say "but what are they doing with their garbage and waste?"  Same as many homeless landlubbers are.

[Sparky]

How many times have the Victoria police patrolled your neighbourhood with a police boat?

Some places do it.

[Mike K.]

Anyone is allowed to live on a boat, as long as it's parked where it's allowed to be parked.

 

 

Right, and clearly the City of Victoria doesn't want those boats moored there otherwise there wouldn't be a controversy, would there. Ditto for Oak Bay and the issues they're having with their own little water world.

 

Homeless and derelict is one thing, consciously choosing to sidestep paying taxes while using municipal infrastructure is another. Why do you think marina costs are as high as they are? There are costs associated with keeping boats moored at a marina just like there are costs associated with occupying a home.

 

I live in the neighbourhood adjacent to these boats and I've seen these folk dump bag after bag after bag of garbage into small garbage bins along the Galloping Goose. I've seen fights, I've seen fires, I've even heard the explosions of improperly connected gas lines, and I've seen people removed in body bags. Unless you see what goes on there on a regular basis then you're not fully aware of the impact of these boats on the immediate area. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

 

I know it's April Fools and all but I never pegged you as having much of a social agenda, but when it comes to these boats you're totally fine with what their doing and happy to carry the financial burden of policing/servicing those residents?