A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially mark the completion of the newly renovated Fairwinds Marina in Nanoose Bay on Wednesday, 9 April 2025. Seacliff Properties led the project, which marks a milestone in the waterfront community's ongoing development. The event was attended by community members, regional officials and Seacliff Properties executives.

Ribbon cutting during the opening ceremony of the renovated Fairwinds Marina in Nanoose Bay on 9 April 2025. From left: Regional District of Nanaimo Electoral Area E director Bob Rogers, marina manager Rowan Gloag, Zaid Hamdi, senior development manager at Seacliff Properties and Georgia Desjardins, vice-president of development at Seacliff. (Photo credit: Fairwinds Marina)

Vice President of Development at Seacliff Properties, Georgia Desjardins, formally presented the upgraded marina. Desjardins shared that the redevelopment is with a value of a $10 million CAD investment and was completed ahead of schedule, as the project was completed in two years and 10 months. Originally designed to span three phases over three years, the renovation was completed in just 22 months, establishing a 46,000 square-feet marina.

Ribbon cutting during the opening ceremony of the renovated Fairwinds Marina in Nanoose Bay on 9 April 2025. From left: Regional District of Nanaimo Electoral Area E director Bob Rogers, marina manager Rowan Gloag, Zaid Hamdi, senior development manager at Seacliff Properties and Georgia Desjardins, vice-president of development at Seacliff. (Photo credit: Fairwinds Marina)

Fairwinds marina now includes approximately 250 new boat slips and is now equipped to accommodate vessels ranging from 8 to 30-metres (25 to 100-feet) in length. The facility offers transient moorage and features fully equipped docks with power pedestals offering services from 15A to 100A, as well as fresh water. The fuel dock provides both gasoline and diesel options, complemented by a pump-out service.

The Fairwinds Marina renovation is part of a larger community development. Seacliff Properties has received approval to build approximately 2,000 additional homes on 700 acres of land still available for development.

A view of Fairwinds Marina in Nanoose Bay (Photo credit: Fairwinds Marina)

Marina manager at Fairwinds, Rowan Gloag, described the renovation journey as a testament to perseverance in the face of adversity. “From a bomb cyclone that brought hurricane-force winds to a deep freeze that brought two feet of snow and minus 15-degree wind chills and what felt like endless gale-force warnings and storm watches – our team showed up,” Gloag said during his remarks.

A statement posted online by Fairwinds highlighted some of the marina's new features, including modern concrete docks, an upgraded fuel dock and a public walkway designed to welcome residents and visitors to the waterfront. The docks were supplied by IMFS International Marine Floatation Systems Ltd. and include a hybrid system featuring large structural concrete breakwaters and various types of concrete dock fingers.

“We cannot thank our team enough for how hard they've worked to finish this project in time for the busy boating season!” the post read.

A view of Fairwinds Marina in Nanoose Bay (Photo credit: Fairwinds Marina)

As the Fairwinds community continues to expand, the revamped marina is expected to serve as a central location for recreational boaters and local residents alike. The marina’s innovative design ensures year-round usability, solving past issues where one-third of the outer section was unusable during winter due to wave disruptions.

Future expansion capabilities are also included in the design, allowing the addition of 22 more 50-foot slips and transient moorage extensions up to 137-feet.

The installation was managed by Rowan Gloag and his team, in collaboration with IMFS. Additional support was provided by Pacific Industrial & Marine Ltd for pile work, Osprey Electric Ltd for electrical services and marine consultant Deane Strongitharm.