Fintry Queen...

[pentona]

Actually it's in Vernon right now.
The new Penticton Council will turn it down just as they should. Every presentation made to every council involves the owner(s) of the scow to pay for construction and maintenance of a dock for the old tub to moor at and operate out of. So far the owner has come up with ZERO dollars. If the owner had a sound business plan he would have no problem finding investors but he has none. The owner left the taxpayers of Kelowna hanging for over $16k in moorage fees at a city owned pier so just how is he ever going to come up with the hundreds of thousands necessary to actually build a pier?

Taxpayers should not be supporting a private business especially one with such a dismal record of paying it's bills.

I agree that Penticton will turn it down once again. It has no meaning there; was a car ferry between Westside and Kelowna. If its Heritage value to anyone, it should be Kelowna. Dream-on Andy is not going to get the backing from any city. Its a private business and he should not ask the public for funding.

[lensbaby]

I have a great solution..
Why don't they spend the money and make it a floating restaurant/pub.
Just think if it was a Red Lobster or something with that flair...the Fintry would be an awesome landmark....and keep in it Kelowna where it was meant to be...

They did that the last couple of years it was in Kelowna. It hosted music nights - mostly Blues - and served meals and alcohol. It kinda worked in tourist season but didn't do well eough to survive in the winter.

[mattinkelowna]

What's wrong with using tax-payers money? Didn't the Federal Government just buy out Kinder Morgan for a tune of over 2 billion dollars?

4.5 billion to be exact.

[phasyluck]

What happened to the Brents Grist Mill project these days?

[WalterWhite]

What happened to the Brents Grist Mill project these days?

That was unfortunately burnt to the ground earlier this summer thanks to your local homeless house-warming crew.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/2 ... ding-burns

[Anonymous123]

Just waiting for the last tobacco barn to collapse or burn too.

[GordonH]

I remember back in the '70's going on the Fintry (to Fintry).......dinner, music and lots of fun!! What a GREAT tourist attraction. Bring her back.....PLEASE!

The current owner could do this very thing, he just has to come up with the funds other then going to the bank of the taxpayers.
Raise the $$$ privately to get the ship back to work on Okanagan Lake, then see if it sinks or swims financially.

[Fancy]

*bump

An attempt to get the historic Fintry Queen retired ferry back in action on Okanagan Lake saw little love from Penticton council Tuesday.

Andy Schwab has been working for years to get the vessel back to its glory days on the lake, convinced there is a lucrative business and tourism boon to be found. The ferry is currently berthed in Vernon.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton ... rth#363086

Got to give Andy credit - he's not giving up.

[BC Landlord]

I wish, they approved it. It would be a good addition to tourism here. I live is Summerland. Would love to be able to hop on the boat to Naramata to have a glass or two of wine. However, as far as I know, the owner has always had some financial difficulties of his own.

[pommiepainter]

I think this would be great! I'll admit to being clueless about the financial viability of it. But I'd be curious to know Penticton's council's reasons for not even discussing it. Anyone know??

[1nick]

[GordonH]

As long as Andy doesn’t use 1 penny of taxpayers money and Fed’s pass the inspection. Oops... no taxpayers $$$ I guess boat sank.

[BC Landlord]

I think this would be great! I'll admit to being clueless about the financial viability of it. But I'd be curious to know Penticton's council's reasons for not even discussing it. Anyone know??

I believe it's about the dock. It needs to be retrofitted to accommodate such a large vessel (structural, depth?). It is probably not cheap, but I would prefer that over bike lanes.

[rabidmole]

One more step closer to being an artificial reef for diving!

[soupy]

I think this would be great! I'll admit to being clueless about the financial viability of it. But I'd be curious to know Penticton's council's reasons for not even discussing it. Anyone know??

I believe it's about the dock. It needs to be retrofitted to accommodate such a large vessel (structural, depth?). It is probably not cheap, but I would prefer that over bike lanes.

Yeah the dock requirement to safety land, and board passengers would be quite the project. Especially if 3 separate ones are to be built...

The idea to get the Fintry back and running like before is "dead in the water"