High-end enhancement

Labrador West now has a boat dock designed to last a lifetime.

Just installed on Jean Lake is a state-of-art polyethylene 130-foot floating boat dock.

The former wooden one was in need of replacement and the Association looked for something with staying power.

Nick McGrath, president of the Labrador West Rowing Association, said Harold Clarke had seen the docks (made of high-density polyethylene resin) while he was visiting Sherbrooke, Quebec.

"That is where this product is manufactured, in Sherbrooke, by a company called Candock" McGrath explained. "Harold was impressed by it and the Association decided it was certainly worth looking into."

Making the deal with the Quebec company took almost a year to negotiate and, because Candock is keen to expand their market into new areas, Clarke was able to manage a cost-saving deal.

"I spent a lot of time talking to them and I explained to them there are many opportunities here (in Labrador) for their docks with the outfitters and stuff," said Clarke. "So, basically, we are going to be promoting the systems and they gave us a good discount to do this."

Significant savings

The amount of dock the Association required would have cost close to $70,000 installed McGrath explained, but because Clarke was able to negotiate a promotion-type deal, the dock cost approximately $50,000.

"And, I am proud to say, we paid in cash and paid in full," he added.

McGrath went on to explain that the dock comes in individual pieces that need to be assembled, much like a jigsaw puzzle. There is a steel foundation, which comes off the concrete pad and the pieces are connected to that steel foundation.

He pointed out that the shape of the floating dock system could be changed with a variety of assembly options.

Stable financially

McGrath said he is proud of the successful efforts on the part of the Association that makes it possible to make this purchase as well as others over the last few years.

For the past 14 years, he said, there has been a concentrated effort on fundraising and becoming financially independent.

"Back in 1996 the Association's executive went after funding for new shells and we achieved the funding but we were strongly advised [at that time] to put ourselves in a position where we would never have to go looking for funding again," McGrath recalled the recommendation that came from the Labrador City Recreation Commission. "We took that advice very seriously and now, we not only raised enough money to pay cash for this dock, we are still sitting with a healthy maintenance fund and we've replaced five of our racing shells twice. We are financially stable."

Costs can soar

While achieving that status is mostly good, it does have its drawbacks, according to McGrath who explained it's difficult to get funding once you have money. And, he goes on to explain how easily their good financial state could change very quickly.

"If we ran into a situation tomorrow where we'd have to replace two [rowing] shells, we can't do that," he said. "To buy a new four-man coxed racing shell-and ours are Biorig shells-each one would cost about $30,000 fully equipped."

In the meantime McGrath said the rowing association's volunteers are all busy getting ready for the biggest event of the year, the regatta.

He explained the annual event is not designed to be a fundraiser; the goal is to break even and to provide a day of racing as well as other fun-filled special events for the residents and visitors of Labrador West.

"We are expecting it to be a big success this year," he said of this year's regatta, which happens July 30."...we not only raised enough