The partner in a planned redevelopment and new lease of the Turkey Head marina has been announced by the District of Oak Bay.
Initially, the District said they had narrowed down a list of applicants for a request for proposals to just two. Following a round of public feedback, a single proponent was selected, and they have now been identified as the Oak Bay Marine Group.
Oak Bay Marine Group is also the current lessee of the area. Their current lease is set to expire at the end of 2022.
Earlier, the District had been tight-lipped about who their chosen partner was, referring to them in documentation as “Proponent 1.”
“The District of Oak Bay put together a thorough RFP process and it was handled professionally,” said Oak Bay Marine Group CEO Brook Castelsky.
“We greatly value all the community input that we received and we will continue to work closely with all stakeholders, including First Nations.”
The new plan for the area includes a revision for the parking layout, a widening of the Turkey Head walkway, and the installation of First Nations interpretive signage.
Respect for First Nations culture has been stipulated as a lease objective, according to the District of Oak Bay, as well as a guiding principle. Proponents were encouraged to engage with First Nations during the request for proposals.
Oak Bay Marine Group counts among their holdings the marinas at Pedder Bay, North Saanich, Ladysmith and Oak Bay, as well as a resort in the Bahamas and two restaurants in Victoria.
The full technical proposal from the Oak Bay Marine Group for the Turkey Head marina is now available online.
