New to 2121 Douglas St. is Shoreline Surf and SUP Ltd., a partnership between Mike Redpath and Gerald Hartwig, the building landlord. Redpath, of 25-year-old Coastline Surf and Sport at 1417 Broad St., said the new business focuses on renting stand up paddle boards, a service not available on Broad Street. The store opened July 1 and staged its grand opening on Wednesday. Along with retail, it features a café with coffee and baked goods. The store has six people working in the renovated building. Redpath said stand-up paddling in particular has been growing in popularity. The café opens at 8 a.m. and the retail side is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Sundays, when hours are noon-5 p.m.
Oak Bay Beach Hotel ownership change is official
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s ownership change-over is official. REV Investments Inc. and JV Driver Ltd., through OB Hotels Limited Partnership, paid $62 million for the luxury Beach Drive hotel, bringing an end to its receivership. The B.C. Supreme Court approved the sale in May. The hotel built by Kevin and Shawna Walker went into receivership in December 2014, with creditors claiming they were owed more than $130 million. Receiver Ernst and Young took over management of the hotel, which had only been open two years. The property features 100 hotel rooms and 20 luxury condominiums, along with a spa.
Comox Valley Airport enjoys record passenger growth
The Comox Valley Airport reported a record-setting 10 per cent growth in passenger numbers despite economic challenges, including a weakening Canadian dollar and declining transborder travel patterns. Passenger traffic at YQQ reached an all-time high of 351,530 in 2015. The increases were despite the sharp drop in oil prices, massive layoffs and ripple effects across the country for communities linked to oilpatch employment. Comox Valley Airport CEO Fred Bigelow said northern Vancouver Island residents continued a strong pattern of travel throughout 2015, in particular with the utilization of YQQ’s new Air Canada service to Vancouver. The route experienced growth of 45 per cent since the airline began operating out of Comox in May. WestJet added Q400 service to Calgary early in 2015, culminating in a 28 per cent increase in new seats at Comox since 2013. The airline did not waver in its commitment to Comox, even as the economy in Alberta weakened. YQQ passengers continued to support the service, adding to growing numbers at the airport as passengers accessed new destinations in WestJet’s growing network. The Comox Valley Airport Commission reported an increase in revenue to $4.3 million from $4 million while expenses increased slightly from $3.2 million to $3.3 million, resulting in a net surplus of $1.1 million.
