All tide landing to open in May but for how long?
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The future of a Sheppey landmark is secure – at
least for the time being.
Queenborough Yacht Club (QYC) aims to have the all tide landing,
which has been closed since the beginning of the year, open by
May.
The decision was taken by the club’s new committee which also
wants to promote all types of water activities and arrange weekend
trips for both yachts and motor cruisers.
But with little money in the kitty, the long-term future of the
landing, which has served Queenborough for 15 years, is less
certain.
Cash put by to pay for the cost of dismantling the landing – an
option mooted last year – is being used to fund the remedial work
needed to have it open by the start of the season.
Unless the club can obtain outside funding, such as grants or
Lottery money, the scenario could be repeated next year.
Eddie Johnson, rear commodore at QYC, said everything was being
done to preserve the club-owned floating pontoon for the community,
including eventually bringing the harbour and landing under one
management umbrella.
He said: “There are a lot of reasons why people want to see the
back of it but there are also an awful lot of people who want to
keep it.
“They look at it as a benefit to the town, bringing in money
from visiting yachtsmen, it gives access to boats to the elderly
and disabled, and is used by the lifeboat.
“It has always been the intention of most in the yacht club to
do whatever we can possibly do to maintain it.”
Mr Johnson admitted club members could do little to prevent
vandalism which has plagued the site and yobs who have threatened
volunteers.
Last year police were called on a number of occasions after
vandals stole dinghies, caused criminal damage to yachts,
threatened and abused the club’s volunteers and ignored the signs
prohibiting swimming.
In October they destroyed a boat and damaged part of the
landing.
“There is very little we can do about it,” said Mr Johnson.
Thursday, March 24 2011
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