The Douglas Lake Cattle Company says it’s willing to share the property it owns along Nicola Lake with the Kamloops Sailing Association (KSA).
The KSA’s lease of property it operates on at Nicola Lake expires at the end of the year, and the two parties have been discussing what the future holds come 2016.
Canada’s largest working cattle ranch bought the Quilchena Ranch last year, which is part of the property that Kamloops Sailing Association leases.
Douglas Lake Ranch general manager Joe Gardner told city council at its regular council meeting May 12 that they are in negotiations with the sailing club.
He said the property has commercial value, which wasn’t being realized as historically the sailing association didn’t pay rent under the former owners.
The KSA has been located at this spot along Highway 5A near the Quilchena General Store since 1992.
KSA secretary treasurer Patt Triggs said the non-profit association had a 20-year lease when the Quilchena Ranch owned the land with no rent.
After signing a five year extension in 2013, the association began paying $1,000 in rent per year, which went up under the new ownership of the Douglas Lake Cattle Company.
The sailing association was charged $4,500 in rent last year and $6,500 this year to lease the property, Gardner told council.
“We think the property should be bringing in [about] $17,000, so we’re a long ways apart,” he said.
Areas of revenue for the KSA includes membership fees and hosting training events.
The increased rent has impacted the non-profit’s bottom line, KSA commodore John Drayton told the Herald.
“The new landlord paid a fair market price to buy the land, and has raised its rent to us … it’s part of business,” Drayton said.
Gardner said he hopes the sailing club will still be at that location next year, sharing the site with other groups.
Drayton said the KSA would like to maintain a presence at the site in the future, but has been discussing with the cattle company the possibility of downsizing the number of boats the association has on site.
