Ste. Anne’s marina sets sail on new partnership with promoter

Since signing on a five year deal on June 19, SkiWakeSurf Inc. owner Mike Stamos said he’s worked night and day to meet a July 1 opening date for the approximate 10,000-square-foot new marina, which includes 76 boat slips. “We took out about 50 of the old wooden docks and replaced them with 56 new PVC docks,” explained Stamos, who would not disclose the final amount invested during the renovation.

Another 20 wooden docks were recuperated and put back into use.

The modular PVC docking materials installed along the outer marina wall are touted as being eco-friendly, resistant to the sun’s ultraviolet rays and maintenance free. Stamos also says that the docks can be expanded by adding additional modules in order to accommodate longer boats.

Though there are plans to include hourly docking services in the coming years, only seasonal boaters can dock for now at the private marina from May 15 to October 15, said Stamos, who added that his membership fees “are competitive with other marina prices”

One scenario for future daily docking would have Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue merchants working in partnership with SkiWakeSurf Inc. to rent as many as ten boat slips during the season. “Boaters could then come in for the day and use the docks to park while they go and eat or shop in town and I would be able to cover my costs,” explained Stamos.

Additional expansion plans for the marina could include tripling the slips space, as well as offering members use of water, electricity and internet services.

Stamos says he’d also like to include maintenance and winter storage services, as well as boat and Sea-Doo rentals at the marina.

Ste. Anne’s mayor Bill Tierney said the town, working with Parks Canada officials, chose SkiWakeSurf over two or three other companies. “The trick was finding someone to run the marina,” Tierney noted.

In addition to seasonal docking, SkiWakeSurf also began offering waterskiing lessons when it opened last month, as well as instruction in wakesurfing and wakeboarding. And if the sun could just shine for more than one day at a time, Stamos says, he can get that part of the business off the ground this summer. “I’ve had to cancel a few lessons due to rain, so we’re just ready for summer to begin,” he laughed.

According to Parks Canada, the circa 1843 Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue canal, located at the mouth of the Ottawa River between the Lake of Two Mountains and Lake Saint-Louis, is the most visited historic lock in Quebec.

The SkiWakeSurf Marina is located at 170 rue Sainte-Anne in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. For information call 514 451-7873. @BV(KE Marina 1 KE):Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue’s mayor Bill Tierney (left) and SkiWakeSurf owner Mike Stamos tried unsuccessfully to lure some retreating ducks toward Stamos’ boat on Monday morning.