Victoria to clear derelict boats from Gorge Waterway

Victoria plans to rezone an urban waterway to deal with the longstanding problem of boats that permanently drop anchor.

There are now more than 30 boats in the Gorge Waterway. People live on board a fewof the vessels, but others are derelict or sinking.

There haslong been a push to cleartheboats out, but it hastaken years for the city to work out the proper jurisdiction.

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"I'm pleased that we are movingforward," saidShellieGudgeon, a former city councillor who lives nearby and has been calling onthe city to move more quickly to deal with the issue.

"Once there is 30 [boats]and nobody is doing anything about it, there will be 60."

The city received a License of Occupation in October from the province granting itlegal authority over the water. Now itplansto rezone the area andlimit anchoring to a period up to 48 consecutive hours, andnot more than72 hours in a month.

The city said it considered a full prohibition on anchoring, but determined that could interfere with federal jurisdiction over navigation and shipping.

The proposal still has togo before Victoria city council next week for approval and will be subject tofurther public consultation.

Injunctions may be sought

But if the water isrezoned as planned,the city saidit will start by asking boat owners to move their vessels.Itwill seek injunctions to remove any remainingvesselsby September.

Gudgeon hopes people with boats in the Gorge will choose to comply.

"I'm hoping they will work this time of year to find the appropriate locations for their boats to go, and that we won't have to have an 'us versus them' come September," she said.

The rezoning may solve the problem for Victoria, but there is concernsome of the boats will just move down the waterway into the neighbouringcommunity of Saanich.