Fintry Queen clear of liens and debts

The Kelowna man who has been trying to save The Fintry Queen says it’s a done deal.

Andy Schwab says the “Bill of Sale” has been registered with Transport Canada, freeing the ship from all its previous liens and debts.  The City of Kelowna was owed more than $80,000 is moorage fees. Schwab says that debt has been waived by the city.

He says he’s working with the City to find the ship a new home.

“We are working with Kelowna City Staff on a request to construct a new smaller temporary pier for the ship in front of the former Park Pavilion building in City Park,” says Schwab.  
 

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“There is power, water and sewer in that area that once serviced the Pavilion building and former restaurant.  A tender has just closed to build permanent washrooms facilities in that area, so we are hoping to be able to tie into that construction, build a small temporary loading pier at no cost to the City and be ready to open this summer.”  
 

Schwab says he wants to turn the Fintry into a passenger vessel geared toward tourism that would shuttle people to parks, wineries and resorts along the Okanagan Lake shoreline.  
 

“In our first season, with construction and renovations, we are projecting only 20,000 passengers. By year 2 or 3, we hope to be carrying 30,000 – 40,000, operating daily between West Kelowna’s Gellatly Bay to Kelowna’s downtown, plus Saturday’s to Fintry Provincial Park, with stops at several communities and parks along the way,” says Schwab.
 

“We hope to be before Kelowna City Council, West Kelowna Council and the Regional District Council in the coming weeks, to get the go-ahead for temporary facilities initially and then see how it works out for the long term.  We recently met with the Friends of Fintry Society and will be approaching BC Parks.”
 

Schwab says he needs to raise several thousand dollars to make his dream a reality.
 

“The Okanagan Lake Boat Company intends to raise $250,000 to get the Fintry Queen started, $100,000 for new docks, $50,000 to bring the ship’s certificates up to date and $50,000 on renovations.  The previous owners spent an estimated $800,000 between 2004 and 2008.”