Fintry Queen turns 50

Photo: Andy Schwab

The grand old lady of Okanagan Lake turns 50 today – and she's still looking for a place to call home.

It was Aug. 31, 1968, when, on the shores of Kerry Park, "Cap" Capozzi re-christened the MV Lequime the MV Fintry.

The Fintry Queen as she is known now, operated for 40 years out of Kelowna, welcoming about 30,000 passengers each year for tours up and down the lake.

The vessel sat idle beginning in 2008 and, in 2011, the City of Kelowna began proceedings to have the Fintry Queen relocated as plans continued for a new downtown marina.

It eventually found a new, temporary home in Sutherland Bay as owner Andy Schwab looked for a new home.

Attempts to have the boat relocated to City Park were turned down by the city, while West Kelowna, Peachland and Westbank First Nation all said no as well.

Today, the Fintry Queen sits anchored near the north end of the lake, south of Vernon, waiting for a new place to call home. That could be Penticton.

Schwab says he has been waiting for the city to complete its Parks and Recreation Master Plan. That plan, he says, outlines the process for approval of a new passenger landing facility adjacent to the Kiwanis Pier.

He hopes to approach the new council following civic elections in October.

"Our vision is to provide a transportation link between the communities of Penticton, Naramata and Summerland, to access the parks, wineries and resorts situated along the shoreline, as these great ships once did over a century ago, while celebrating Okanagan wines and foods," said Schwab.

"We are in the process of completing an initial financing to raise $250,000 which will go towards renovating and re-certifying the ship. We'll be looking for matching funds or value-added partners to assist with the new dock and public infrastructure that will be required to set-up operations in the South Okanagan."