OYS pulled back from the edge
Mar 8, 2018
After some anxious moments, petitions and a #SaveOYS effort by the club, the Oakville Yacht Squadron and the Town of Oakville have settled dispute that could have jeopardized club’s future. After prolonged negotiations, at the town’s February 20th council meeting, a motion was put forth to terminate the lease holdings of the Oakville Yacht Squadron.
A petition and other lobbying followed, then a week later on Tuesday Feb 27, Oakville Town Council voted unanimously in favour of approving the MOU Staff had drafted and OYS had approved, and initiate a lease entrenching OYS for 25 years, with the option to renew for another 25 years.
That property includes an 19,000 square-foot building used for club events and classes for the sailing schools, 75 mooring slips including 48 on floating docks.
Council acknowledged that since being founded in 1946 the club has helped thousands of youths though its sailing school, has held fundraisers for local Olympians (OYS is the proud home to several Olympians; Lee Parkhill, Don Hains, Ted Hains, and Oskar Johansson) and has participated in charity work for groups like Easter Seals giving children with disabilities and their families the experience of a day out on the water.
The news has been widely welcomed in the GTA boating community who were initially shocked and subsequently relieved to learn of OYS’ potential problems with its tenure and the solution that was ultimately reached.
