A wave of boaters poured into Port Moody council chambers Tuesday to share their views on parking plans for Rocky Point Park.

The park is undergoing a development that includes the construction of a Boathouse restaurant.

Dozens signed up to voice their opinions during the council meeting's public input period, prompting Mayor Joe Trasolini to limit speakers to one minute each.

Several speakers accused the city of failing to consult the public on the parking changes and criticized plans to decrease boat trailer parking stalls at the boat ramp, saying it will create lineups at the ramp and make it difficult for cars with trailers to turn around.

Port Moody resident Claire Livingston raised concerns over access to the actual ramp.

"The access is through a single parking area - that means as soon as people line up to launch their boats _ that lineup is going straight through the single-car parking on either side," Livingston said.

"That means that you're mixing together people with a car with a trailer, you're mixing those people with other people who are families, who have young children, who have dogs, who have strollers and they have to travel between the boats."

Doug Richards, a Burnaby resident who has boated in the area all his life and whose family has lived on Alderside Road for 74 years, said the restaurant developer and city should improve access to the ramp by dredging and filling the area between the park and the mill and creating more parking for boaters.

Wendy Swalwell, a Port Moody resident, appeared as a delegation representing several boating associations.

Swalwell asked the city to request a view-impact survey of the restaurant and explain why the restaurant location has changed.

Swalwell's statement that it is easier to find parking for cars than trucks and trailers drew applause.

But Trasolini said the city has already signed a binding deal with the restaurant developer and is committed to providing at least one boat trailer parking space for each existing one in the vicinity.

"The radius, the cueing and so on will be closely scrutinized," Trasolini said. "We'll make sure it works. If it doesn't work, it's not a solution so you can be rest assured that your time here this evening is well spent."

City manager Gaetan Royer gave an overview of the Rocky Point Park development plans before the public input period to try and stem the number of questions by residents from Port Moody, Coquitlam and Burnaby.

Royer said the $4.7-million redevelopment has been six years in the making.

The new plans, he said, include a total of 80 available trailer stalls (15 at the waterfront boat ramp, 50 at the nearby West Coast Express lot and possibly 25 at the Mill & Timber site) during weekends and evenings.

During the week, there would be a total of 40 available trailer stalls (15 at the boat ramp and 25 at the WCE lot).

The city is also looking into having 38 potential trailer stalls in the area (10 east of the Inlet Community Garden, eight at the new parking area for the park service building and 20 street parking spots in various locations).

The turning radius at the boat ramp would match the existing one.

Royer emphasized that the proposed parking area at the park would not be for exclusive use by restaurant patrons, but would be open to all park users.

The lot would offer 81 regular car stalls with a minimum of 15 boat trailer stalls.

Currently, a boat trailer stall is typically used for one to two days, while regular car stalls are taken up for 45 to 90 minutes, Royer said, adding that up to 48 more families would be able to park near the waterfront where one family is now accommodated.

The city is also expecting to generate more than $100,000 in annual revenues from the project.

Consultants with the Spectra Group of Great Restaurants Inc., the company building the new restaurant at the park, are moving forward with detailed design plans that will be reviewed by city staff.

Trasolini said the city has until April 2007 to resolve parking issues.

An open house and public meeting on the restaurant development is scheduled for Thursday, June 29 at the Inlet Theatre.

Council is expected to consider a development permit application for the proposed project by July 11.

published on 06/16/2006