A $2-million offer by the District of Sicamous’ Development Corporation (DOSDC) for the former Waterway Houseboats site has been accepted by the receiver that is controlling the defunct company’s assets.

The Development Corporation is hoping to buy the 16.33 acre parcel of land located on Mara Lake, and turn it into a recreation area with a public beach, a park, a boat launch, and 75 RV and camp sites.

CEO Evan Parliament says the move will solve a local problem by using local talent, after the houseboat company went into receivership in June.

“Our community is very engaged, there’s a lot of local contractors, a lot of smart people and I’m proud that this was sort of a ‘Made in Sicamous’ solution to a challenge,” he told NL News. “We’ve got the whole community behind this, and that’s what makes it very gratifying.”

“Every nickel that the development corporation makes in profit, it’s just reinvested in the community.”

Parliament is confident that when fully operational, the campsite will generate between $500,000 and $600,000 each year.

He says the DOSDC can walk away from the deal and get its $100,000 deposit back at any time before Jan. 9, 2020. Because the property is in receivership, the proposed sale will go before the BC Supreme Court for approval on Jan. 30, 2020.

If approved, the sale will close no later than Feb. 28, and as it stands, Parliament says their bid is the only one he’s aware of.

“This isn’t final until its goes before the courts,” he said. “We’re turning a negative into a positive. By re-purposing the land, we want to bring more tourism traffic and economic development into Sicamous.”

“This is a huge endeavour but we believe we have the capital and the expertise to do just that.”

The property has been advertised for sale online for $ 4,495,000.

(Photo via District of Sicamous)