Image by O12 from Pixabay.
Kelowna Yacht Club is the first facility in the province’s Interior region to be awarded Clean Marine BC certification, a voluntary eco-certification for marinas, harbour authorities, yacht clubs, and boatyards.
Clean Marine BC is run by Georgia Strait Alliance, a non-profit marine conservation organization. Boating facilities undergo an independent audit to determine their eligibility for certification, and are awarded a rating that ranges from a minimum of one anchor to the top five anchors. These anchor ratings reflect operational practices and initiatives that help to reduce the impact of recreational boating in British Columbia.
Highlights of Kelowna Yacht Club’s four-anchor certification include:
- Docks that are clean and well maintained, without the continued use of foam flotation, and creosote pilings being replaced with steel
- Spill protection kits that are visible and well placed
- Mandatory holding tanks, with a complimentary sewage pump out facility available
- No onsite refueling or boat maintenance
- New clubhouse and facilities that are built to the latest codes
- Extensive onsite recycling collection
“The undertaking of a site audit that focused on how our operations impact the environment was such a beneficial experience,” says Thom Killingsworth, Executive Director of Kelowna Yacht Club. “We are delighted to be recognized for our successful best practices and, more importantly, to learn of areas where we can continue to improve operations at our Club. This is an important initiative and we encourage other clubs and marinas to enroll in the Clean Marine BC certification not just on Okanagan Lake, but throughout the province.”
Christianne Wilhelmson, Executive Director of Georgia Strait Alliance, says; “We’re thrilled to certify our first facility in the BC interior. Ultimately, our waterways are all interconnected and by working with facilities beyond the Strait of Georgia, we are reinforcing the value of the Clean Marine BC program and helping to minimize the impacts of recreational boating on our environment.”
With the certification of the Kelowna Yacht Club, there are 32 marinas, boatyards, yacht club facilities, and harbour authority docks that fly the Clean Marine BC flag.
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About the Clean Marine BC (CMBC) program
CMBC is a voluntary eco-certification program that recognizes marinas and other boating facilities for environmental best practices, and assists them in making improvements to minimize the negative impacts of recreational boating. There are now 32 Clean Marine BC certified marinas, yacht club facilities, boatyards and harbour authority wharfs, and another 23 facilities which have adopted the Clean Marine BC policy and are working towards certification.
About Kelowna Yacht Club
Located lakefront in the heart of downtown Kelowna, the Kelowna Yacht Club provides our members with top-quality moorage in Canada’s largest fresh-water basin, an excellent variety of food and beverage service, social events and many opportunities to volunteer as a part of the community. Being a not-for-profit organization, Kelowna Yacht Club has been supporting boater education and safe, responsible enjoyment of Okanagan Lake since 1945. Our facility is a resource for community partners such as the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron and Adaptive Sailing Association, www.kelownayachtclub.com
About Georgia Strait Alliance
Formed in 1990, Georgia Strait Alliance is the only conservation group working to protect and restore the marine environment and promote the sustainability of the whole of the Georgia Strait, its adjoining waters and communities, www.georgiastrait.org