Crown corporation and Vancouver Convention Centre operator BC Pavilion Corp. (PavCo) is advocating a third-party review of the business concerns of the Vancouver Commercial Seaplane Operators’ Association (VCSOA) and managers of the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre (VHFC) to attempt to break a stalemate between the two parties.
Negotiations have broken down between the VCSOA and the VHFC managers regarding lease arrangements for the new floatplane terminal on the west of Canada Place, currently expected to open in May (see “Plane dealing on Vancouver’s waterfront – issue 1111; February 8-14).
The VCSOA is applying to Port Metro Vancouver to build a second new floatplane terminal, the Harbour Hub, to the east of Canada Place.
“Right now, the two sides seem dug in,” PavCo chairman David Podmore said in a press release issued yesterday. “We’re approaching both sides with the idea of having an independent review of all their concerns on everything from design to costs.”
Podmore noted that PavCo is recommending the review result in non-binding recommendations, and “at least get them talking again.”
He added that if the two parties can’t come to an agreement, the travelling public will suffer.
“It has always been our intent to return the float planes to the front of the expanded convention centre,” he said. “They’re an integral part of our downtown transportation system, and that was the commitment we made to the city, the port and our neighbours in Coal Harbour who allowed the current temporary [floatplane] location to operate during the expansion of the convention centre.”
Calls to the VCSAO and VHFC were not returned by press deadline.