Council discusses boat launch, more storage at marina

Cold Lake, AB – At its meeting held earlier this week, Council discussed concerns raised by a resident relating to several limitations at the Cold Lake Marina and considered several means of overcoming the limitations identified.

At the May 19 Corporate Priorities Meeting, Chaired by Deputy Mayor Bill Parker, Cold Lake Council heard from administration about low water levels and a shallow boat launch. Council also heard about alternative means of launching boats at the facility and the need for additional boat storage space. Council ultimately voted to maintain the status quo at the marina’s boat launch while referring other potential solutions to the 2027 budget deliberations.

Administration noted that despite successful dredging programs in the marina basin, and the improvement of the boat launches’ concrete surface, lower water levels remain a challenge at the facility when it comes to launching some boats. The issue affects larger vessels, and particularly sailboats with keels that cannot be removed.

The marina’s boat launch currently has a depth of 4 feet, 2 inches towards the end of the concrete lunch pad, dropping to approximately 4 feet 10 inches immediately after the concrete pad. Rocks and other hazards such as a soft lakebed prevent boats from being easily trailered into the water beyond the concrete. Unfortunately, the grade of the lakeshore at the boat launch remains shallow for an extended length before getting deeper.

The agenda item was prompted by a resident who raised concerns that the city is not ready for their style of boat, given the current conditions at the marina. The resident thus reached out to City Council to see if a potential solution could be found.

Council heard that cranes would be best suited to launch such vessels at the Cold Lake Marina, given the current conditions. Council questioned whether sufficient demand existed at the facility to warrant establishing the infrastructure that such a service would require.  Council also discussed whether the service should be operated at cost-recovery, or subsidized. In the past, the City has opted to provide boat owners with financial assistance to launch or retrieve boats.

For a long-term solution, administration noted that specialized cranes and bridge systems can be purchased and installed to help with launching vessels at the marina. It was also noted that there are only a few areas by the marina where these services can be safely operated, as the marina breakwater and refueling dock are not rated to carry the weight of a crane system.

Also considered by council was a request from a resident to establish a dry storage system for boats in or around the Cold Lake Marina. Such systems are popular at other large lakes with marinas that cannot meet the demand for boat storage. These systems take a significant investment to establish racks on which boats can be stored. The boats can then be launched and retrieved with specialized, forklift-type equipment.

Councillors noted that the rising cost and limited availability of storage could warrant having a more in-depth look at the concept to see if a suitable location can be found and a business case could be established for such a system.

The Corporate Priorities Committee of Council passed a motion to maintain the current boat launch as it currently exists while referring the discussion surrounding dry-boat storage to the 2027 budget deliberations. Fr the 2026 season, the City will make efforts to help coordinate with the necessary crane services at the expense of boat owners, as required, and will consider options for boats that cannot launch under current conditions.  

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