Fintry Queen

[dreamon]

How would the FQ be a draw to Penticton and make them stay a little longer? Penticton is funny.

Simply because it is another activity. Go for a cruise on a paddle wheeler.

[cv23]

Simply because it is another activity. Go for a cruise on a paddle wheeler.

Go for a water slide, go see some animals at a wildlife park, take a wine train, etc, etc.
All great activities in their day but sadly not things people, especially tourists, want to do today. Remember to be remotely profitable the FQ will have to operate year round. How many locals in Penticton will want to pay premium tourist prices to sit stationary in a cold drafty old car ferry and eat average food in the middle of January?

[southy]

I'll take the glass half full approach thank you! How many in January will use this vessel? Well, I think with the right marketing targeted to specific groups and industry, the owner could develop a real nice profit from sailing seminars, meetings, team building events, non-profit fundraisers, ie: lunch and sail with guest speakers, history lessons or team building for middle school and high school students, senior's events, hockey teams and or parents during tournaments being held here, fashion shows for local retailers, weddings, wine events, I could go on but I think you can see there are all kinds of opportunites when you take the dark glasses off. Don't just think Penticton as the market either. Think about the entire Okanagan Region, provincially, you can even target groups from Alberta. It's unlimited and I'm sure Mr. Shwab is already aware of these opportunities. .

[cv23]

I'll take the glass half full approach thank you! How many in January will use this vessel? Well, I think with the right marketing targeted to specific groups and industry, the owner could develop a real nice profit from sailing seminars, meetings, team building events, non-profit fundraisers, ie: lunch and sail with guest speakers, history lessons or team building for middle school and high school students, senior's events, hockey teams and or parents during tournaments being held here, fashion shows for local retailers, weddings, wine events, I could go on but I think you can see there are all kinds of opportunites when you take the dark glasses off. Don't just think Penticton as the market either. Think about the entire Okanagan Region, provincially, you can even target groups from Alberta. It's unlimited and I'm sure Mr. Shwab is already aware of these opportunities. .

LOL
The vessel has no heat
If all those things were actually feasable sources of income how come the rusting hulk sat unused for so many years in what was the most prime location in the Okanagam Valley? Obviously the previous owners were blind and just in it to burn money. Marketing takes money, a commodity Mr Shwab has none of. If you see the potential why don't you invest everything you have in Mr. Shwab and his dream as he's looking for investors to "keep things afloat" right now. What have you got to lose on such a sure thing?

Good Luck Penticton

[omisimaw]

Fantastic news! finally.... I will most definitely drive to Penticton for this but maybe they will come and dock here too now that we have the new facility at the sails!
Congratulations and great forward thinking City of Penticton!

[cv23]

Fantastic news! finally.... I will most definitely drive to Penticton for this but maybe they will come and dock here too now that we have the new facility at the sails!
Congratulations and great forward thinking City of Penticton!

Its by no means even remotely close to a done deal for the FQ in Penticton. Shwab has made his pitch to Council that's it, nothing more. If Penticton Council is smart they will contact Kelowna and Westside councils and ask why they turned him down before they even consider his proposal.

Good Luck Penticton

[omisimaw]

I hope it goes through! I support it.

[XT225]

The vessel has no heat
If all those things were actually feasable sources of income how come the rusting hulk sat unused for so many years in what was the most prime location in the Okanagam Valley? Obviously the previous owners were blind and just in it to burn money. Marketing takes money, a commodity Mr Shwab has none of. If you see the potential why don't you invest everything you have in Mr. Shwab and his dream as he's looking for investors to "keep things afloat" right now. What have you got to lose on such a sure thing?

Good Luck Penticton

cv23, Everyone, including you is entitled to your opinion but when you state your facts, please get them straight first. If everyone was as negative as you are over this ship, Penticton and Kelowna would be ghost towns.

Schwab, who bought the boat out of receivership last year, wants council’s support for his plans to build a $300,000 dock next to the Kiwanis walking pier to moor the boat. If he gets the go-ahead, Schwab said they could have 28,000 passengers next year, operating over a three-month period, and escalate to operating the boat almost year round by 2016.

“You could do it. It’s heated inside, we used to run in November and December. It’s very doable. It’s just a question of building up the traffic, who are you going to take where,” said Schwab. Bringing the boat to Penticton, he added, will mean anywhere from 40 to 60 jobs and $500,000 economic impact for the city.

[cv23]

Schwab, who bought the boat out of receivership last year, wants council’s support for his plans to build a $300,000 dock next to the Kiwanis walking pier to moor the boat.
.

The City of Kelowna built the FQ a beautiful dock with a fancy ticket booth, security fence and gangway. The owners couldn't even generate enough business to pay the rent on it let alone pay for its construction. These were owners who paid real money for the vessel and its upfit, not someone who got it for nothing just so Kelowna could get it out of its downtown. Shwab doesn't even have $3000 let alone $300,000 so how is he gonna build this dock?
Reality check people. If Shwab actually had the money to pull any of his pie in the sky dreams off the FQ would be moored and operating in Kelowna, the biggest market in the Okanagan. Instead he's quickly running out of options because while he has big dreams he has no money and can't find anyone, or any municipality, willing to buy into his dreams.
The easiest way for all you "glass half full" types to guarantee the FQ's relocation to Penticton would be for you to quit dreaming and flapping here and start investing your money in what is a sure fired money making venture. If you did so at least Mr Shwab could show council not only does he have real financial backing but also people within the community willing to put their money where their mouths are. Its not like you have any risk with all those great numbers of paying passengers Mr Scwab is guaranteeing right?

Good Luck Penticton

PS: a few plug in heaters, what the FQ has for heat, won't do much when its -20 especially considering the FQ only has single glass windows and single sheet steel for insulation

[southy]

CV ... I'm really curious ... how do you know so much about the background of Mr. Schwab? All the negatives you've posted about the FQ in Kelowna have been past owners not Mr. Schwab, so again I ask, why do you have such a negative view of him?
It would also appear you never ever liked the FQ even when it was in Kelowna. I'm fairly new to Penticton, but seems to me the FQ ran successfully for a number of years did it not? Oh well CV ... guess we can't all be on the same page ... let's just say it's water under the bridge :)

[omisimaw]

I can also attest to being on the FQ in foul weather with a group of elderly individuals and it was a wonderful experience. Great meal, great time and yes, there was heat and not from a few heaters LOL....

Go for it Penticton! Kelowna will welcome back the revenue at the new commercial dock... Love it dinner cruises on the lake again..... on a real heritage boat to boot....

[Static]

Simply because it is another activity. Go for a cruise on a paddle wheeler.

There is already one in Penticton. I don't think it does so well.

[omisimaw]

It is stationary

[XT225]

I can also attest to being on the FQ in foul weather with a group of elderly individuals and it was a wonderful experience. Great meal, great time and yes, there was heat and not from a few heaters LOL....

Go for it Penticton! Kelowna will welcome back the revenue at the new commercial dock... Love it dinner cruises on the lake again..... on a real heritage boat to boot....

Wonderful viewpoint, omnishaw. Glad that there are mostly positive people who like this idea. Mr. Schwab is the main push; lets let HIM deal with it. I don't have the desire to invest, nor the funds. If he believe he can pull it off; good for him. If we were negative on every new business venture that wanted to locate here, god help us all. CV23 is extremely negative; not sure why; don't care and once again he was wrong re a few plug in heaters. Some folks really need to check their facts before spouting off incorrect information.

[Static]

It is stationary

No its not. I parks by the marine club.