After 75 years in business, Lady Rose Marine Services was set to make their very last sailing at the end of this month.
Due to the difficulties the company faced due to COVID-19, the ferry service was facing a sudden closure.
This reality came as a shock to the surrounding communities connected by the ferry, sending workers, business owners and home owners scrambling to find alternative methods of travel and delivery of goods.
Lady Rose Marine Services provides ferry services from Port Alberni to Bamfield, Ucluelet and other remote communities in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound.
It is the only ferry linking the remote communities in the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound and is also a vital means of communication and transportation for isolated communities along the inlet, like the Huu-ay-aht First Nation village of Anacla.
The ferry service also delivers goods and freight to businesses and passengers to homes, lodges, tourist and camping spots, the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre and kayaking destinations.
Now, two weeks before it’s final sailing on August 31st, the service has been purchased by Devon Transport Ltd, which is owned by two business men with connections to the community.
Greg Willmon and Barrie Rogers, owners of Devon Transport, recognized the importance of the ferry service and how it connected so many remote communities. For many, the ferry service is their sole transportation for goods for their business, how they can return home, or what brings in tourists.
Both Greg and Barrie have deep ties to Port Alberni and Bamfield, with Greg having lived in Port Alberni and currently owning a property in Bamfield.
After a meeting last week, Devon Transport reached an agreement in principle to purchase Lady Rose Marine Services. The details of the purchase include keeping Mike Surrell (the current owner) and the rest of the ferry vessel’s team to allow a smooth transition and continued operation of the service.
“My wife Pauline and myself could not be happier with the sale of the Lady Rose Marine,” said Surrell.
“We fully understand the ramifications of this ship stopping service and the impact it would make in Port Alberni and the Barkley Sound. We are proud to be able to continue helping the new owners in making this company the success it was pre-covid.”
