by Mat Churchill

The Port Douglas Yacht Club (PDYC) has met with Council to discuss the relocation of the public boat ramp, and according to the club's Rear Commodore, Mick Gwilliams, they aren't happy.

"We have attended the ramp meetings and the Saltwater shop front and we have had private meetings with Council," Mr Gwilliams said.

"The Yacht Club strongly opposes the relocation of the ramp on many grounds. This is not good for the club and we are very concerned."

Boat ramp users were invited to attend an information session on Sunday morning organised by Council, which preceeded a PDYC members meeting designed to assist their committee to formulate a submission to Council.

"Many members are deeply concerned at the intrusion the relocation will impose on the club," Mr Gwilliams said.

"The more we look into it the more we find wrong with it and the unanimous consensus is to leave the ramp where it is."

Mr Gwilliams added that the PDYC submission will contain their concept for a boat ramp relocation that aims to minimise the impact on the club.

"Whether we succeed or not is the question but the feeling amongst members is that we are witness to the last remaining days of Port Douglas Yacht Club as we know it.

"We have a fight on our hands and we need all the support we can get, you just have to look at what they did to Cairns Yacht Club!"

Regional Manager for Douglas Liz Collyer said that Council have met with the PDYC on a regular basis to discuss the proposed plans.

"We've had really good discussions with a number of their committee members.

"That's why you do a draft, to say this is what we're thinking, this is who it would impact upon, this is who would be included. We need to meet with all of those people to make sure when we're doing designs that we take into consideration what those needs are," Ms Collyer said.

"When they say 'as we know it' well maybe it is, but maybe there's lots of opportunities. With every change, with every development or every bit of capital works...of course it's the end of something as we know it, but it's how we retain the culture of the Yacht Club and the elements that are really significant for members...that's exactly the discussion that we're having with them.

"Whatever the most significant things are we have to sit back and say how do we respect that and how do we make sure that's maintained?"

Meanwhile the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the proposed location of the lagoon pool.

Chamber president Ken Dobbs said the Chamber had received a positive response from the town's business people for Council's proposal.

"The location of the lagoon as proposed in the recommendation by the consultant, the Chamber is supporting that, that's for sure. We're anxious for Council to put that forward as soon as possible...to attract Federal (Government) funding.

"We've invited the Chamber members to indicate a position on it (the lagoon location) and there was no significant opposition to that.

"We've also had Doug Calvert (fellow Chamber Committee member) who has done alot of work in surveys and interaction particularly with the businesses in Macrossan Street...Basically it's had overwhelming support of businesses through direct discussion, through Chamber membership being given an opportunity to have their say, and through the committee."