Salt Spring Marina Reopens After Total Reconstruction

After 30 years of service, the wooden docks at Salt Spring Marina needed to be replaced. So in October 2018, the marina, located on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, temporarily closed for construction. Salt Spring Marina held its soft reopening in March 2020.

Challenges in coordinating permits delayed the marina’s reopening, according to Oscar Lyytikäinen, the marina’s assistant manager. By the time one permit had been approved, another had expired. But work eventually started with the dredging of the harbor so that it has nine feet of water at zero tide.

Island Marine Construction built the marina, which includes all new steel piling and floating timber docks with a mini-mesh composite material used as decking on the outer dock and on the dryland ramp. The heavy-duty outer dock is designed to withstand the strong northeasterly winds that sometimes sweep through the marina.

Salt Spring Marina can now accommodate boats up to 111 feet on side-ties and boats up to 55 feet long in its 106 finger slips.

The marina has made other upgrades as well. “We are going to be implementing access control systems so that the security gate is opened with a key fob and we can keep track of anyone who enters,” Lyytikäinen said. “We have also added security cameras that will eventually be live fed on our website.” The marina offers 30 and 50-amp power, a fire suppression system, a portable pumpout system and laundry and shower facilities.

Lyytikäinen said that demand for slips had been high before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The marina still hopes that it is possible to hold grand reopening celebrations in May.