The Kelowna Yacht Club was recently granted a four-anchor rating as part of the Georgia Strait Alliance’s Clean Marine B.C. program, making it the first marine facility in the province’s interior region to earn a certification. The Clean Marine B.C. program audits and gives certifications to facilities that take steps to reduce their environmental impact on the waters of British Columbia.
“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. To earn their four-anchor rating, Kelowna upgraded their docks to steel, made spill kits easily accessible, offered complimentary on-site pumpouts, built their new club house to the latest codes, and offered extensive recycling services.
“This [Clean Marine B.C.] is an important initiative and we encourage other clubs and marinas to enroll in the Clean Marine B.C. certification, not just on Okanagan Lake, but throughout the province,” said Killingsworth. With the certification of the Kelowna Yacht Club, there are now 32 marinas, boatyards, yacht clubs, and harbor authority docks that have some Clean Marine certification.
You can learn more about the Clean Marine B.C. initiative from the Georgia Strait Alliance at georgiastrait.org.
