Plans continue for Picton marina this summer

By Sharon Harrison
A summary update on the 2025 operations at Picton marina, together with an outline of plans for the 2026 season, were provided to council.

Council voted to receive the report, as well as approve entering into discussions with the new owner of the docks occupying Water Lot 1 regarding a partnership they have proposed. An additional 67 slips could potentially be made available, on top of the 14 slips existing.

Troy Gilmour, director of operations, clarified that the owner of Water Lot 1 approached the County with a proposition to operate the slips on their behalf. He further clarified that it will not be operated by a third party, but will still be operated and managed by the County, should agreement be reached.

Staff will bring back a report to council outlining a draft operating agreement for the 2026 season.

“2025 was a year of revitalization for Picton marina… we attacked revitalizing the marina with gusto; we evaluated the existing state, developed an operations plan, inspected and repaired equipment, hired staff and had operations underway by mid-May,” shared Albert Paschkowiak, environmental services and sustainability supervisor, “…. So, it was very much a whirlwind experience, but a rewarding one, and I think the outcome speaks for itself.”

The marina generated a gross revenue of $185,518.64 from docking fees, launch fees, parking, sale of fuel, pump-outs, and sales of ice, in 2025. The cost to operate the marina was approximately $192,000.

“With just a mere 14 slips, we were able to provide a consistent and high-quality service level and generate a total revenue of approximately $185,000 from various revenue sources such as parking, docking, etc., so a significant sum of money.”

“Compared with the cost to operate, we essentially operated with a loss of about $20,000, which is pretty amazing considering we only have 14 slips to work with. And really, much of this was related to necessary repairs that we found when we did our initial inspections.”

He also added that the numbers reflect only an approximate 25 percent usage as they were also dealing with “a bit of a reputation” with not as many users early on as anticipated, something Paschkowiak expects will be different this year.

“The success of the marina in 2025 was more than we could have hoped for,” he added.

With little time to get everything ready after the go ahead came from council in April, Gilmour noted how Paschkowiak and his team prepared the site, completed inspections and repairs, and hired and trained seasonal staff, all before opening of the May long weekend.

“Even though there were some early challenges, the season was very successful; staff provided reliable service, received positive feedback from the boating community and showed the marina’s strong potential as a public asset for our community,” shared Gilmour.

“I think all of us genuinely want the Picton marina to be successful; as far as boaters are concerned, that’s our shining star in the County as far as marinas go. So, we do need to invest in it, we need to make sure its operating properly,” said councillor Phil St-Jean.

He said he also sees a lot of potential revenue with an additional 67 slips.

“I see that it can be a profit centre, and hoping those profits will be put into a reserve for reinvestment into Picton marina, as well as the other boat slips and areas that we have… it’s a great business opportunity.”

Councillor John Hirsch brough up the issue of the 67 slips impinging on the Picton marina space last year, so that they were not able to be used properly.

“Are they movable, can they be shifted over a bit so that it clears up that problem?” Hirsch asked.

“They are infringing upon a certain part of the water lot, which is where we are actively working, and my understanding is at a minimum that needs to be rectified, and they can be reorganized,” added Paschkowiak.

Going forward in 2026, he said a few pain points were identified to be addressed, such as the need for a proper marine management system, limited docking space (people were turned away in 2025), a lack of water and hydro services at the docks, and a lack of VHF radio communications.

Many of the plans for 2026 are already baked in this year’s budget he noted, but said there are also opportunities to improve services by adding concessions, canoe and kayak rentals and extending hours, for example.

Location at 1 Head Street in Picton, all operations at the Picton marina within the harbour is administered by the municipality (under the Beach Management Agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources).

Marina operations were transitioned in-house for the 2025 season and staff had committed to returning to council with a review of that operating season’s results.

In his report, Paschkowiak explained how bringing marina operations in-house for the 2025 season meant staff had a tight timeline to get marina operations up and running in time for the start of the boating season in May.

“Staff began by undertaking an evaluation of the current state of facilities at the marina… the evaluation identified a number of repairs and upgrades that were required to ensure safe operation of the property and adherence to regulations,” he stated.

In addition, he said fuel equipment required inspection and the dispensers required calibration where this legally-required calibration appeared to not have been undertaken since 2020 (required every two years).

“Staff retained a contractor to complete a full inspection of the equipment, conduct the calibration and undertake repairs of the existing equipment,” he added. “Repair of the fuel dispensing controller and replacement of a fuel line was also required as was several other minor repairs to other site features.”

A fresh coat of paint was applied to the marina features to freshen up the site, as well as undertaking some gardening to improve the aesthetics of the property, along updating signage.

During the 2025 season (May 19 to Sept. 28), the facility operated seven days per week, (8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) for a total of 20 weeks.

The public boardwalk, constructed in 2024 by Port Picton Homes, and assumed by the County in April 2025, is equipped with cleats, and staff created 14 rentable slips for the 2025 season, with durable slip number signage added.

Paschkowiak further notes the fuel dock has been deteriorating over the past several years, despite attempts to repair the aging infrastructure.

“The dock experienced significant failure early in 2026 when the mounts and rear floats of the dock failed. Currently, the dock is partially submerged and is cordoned off until it can be removed following ice out in 2026.”

Construction of the new dock is underway with installation anticipated by the end of April 2026, in time for boating season.

The report indicates that prior to 2025, staff had received complaints from the public concerning the quality and consistency of services and amenities at the marina. After operations were transitioned in-house for the 2025 boating season, staff also reported receiving negative feedback from users on the past operation of the marina, specifically about the consistency of services.

“Significant efforts were made to ensure boaters could rely on the facility being open and services available through 2025,” he said. “Overcoming the start-up costs and logistics for 2025 was challenging, but this effort was recognized by all types of users who enjoyed the friendly staff, consistent services and operating hours over the course of this past season.”

Suggested ideas to generate additional revenue include the addition of concessions, the addition of food cart vendors, canoe and kayak rentals and increasing the number of slips.

Also, increasing profits on fuel by adjusting pricing to be competitive throughout the season, improving, replacing or increasing capacity of pump-out equipment to avoid downtime and increase profitability. They also plan to look at extending the season to include the first weekend in May, and later in the year to capture late season boaters.

“I am grateful for anything that actives that area; it’s a wonderful destination already and can do so much more, so I really love where you are going,” added councillor Kate MacNaughton.