“Recipient of the Clean Marine Platinum

Rated 5 Anchor Platinum Award”

“Recipient of the Clean Marine Platinum

Rated 5 Anchor Platinum Award”

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Table of Contents Welcome Message……………………………………………………….............3

Clean Marine Program……………………………………………..…..............3

Clean Marine Declaration……………………………………………..............4

Bronte Harbour………………………………………………………….............. 5

Oakville Harbour…………………………………………………………............6

Oakville Harbours Services……………………………………………….........7

Emergency Contacts…………………………………………………….............7

Fees...............……………………………………………………………...............8

Security……………………………………………………………………..............8

Speed Limit and Parking……………………………………………….............8

Barbecues………………………………………………………………….............8

Cradle and Trailer Storage…………………………………………….............8

Green Boating Practices………………………………………………........9, 10

Eco Alternatives to Toxic Cleaners…………………………………............11

Feedback………………………………………………………………….............11

“Recipient of the Clean Marine 5 Anchor Platinum Rated Award”

CLEAN MARINE

The information in this handbook will act as a guide to the services

provided to you at Bronte and Oakville Harbours.

Please familiarize yourselves with this guide.

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Welcome!

The Town of Oakville is blessed with two

beautiful and historic harbours– Bronte Harbour

at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek and Oakville

Harbour in downtown Oakville at Sixteen Mile

Creek. Oakville’s harbours attract boats of all

shapes and sizes and offer a stunning backdrop

for a summertime stroll along the waterfront trail

or reminiscing with friends at one of the local

restaurants.

Home to an abundance of wildlife and

unsurpassed scenery, our creeks and valleys

provide hikers, photographers and anglers with

year-round entertainment. Fish from one of

our piers or charter a boat and tackle some of

Lake Ontario’s famous salmon and trout.

The Bronte and Oakville harbours are owned by

the Town of Oakville, a Clean Marine 5 Anchor

Platinum Rated Award recipient.

These natural harbours accommodate several

hundred sail and power boats.

2 0 1 8 N O T I C E :

Launch ramp in Bronte Harbour is closed

for the 2018 season due to extensive damage

occurred during the flood in 2017.

Information on the services Oakville Harbours

provide can be found in this booklet, online at

www.oakville.ca or by calling ServiceOakville at

905-845-6601. Or email us at

serviceoakville@oakville.ca

Clean Marine Program CLEAN MARINE

Town of Oakville Harbours is an associate member of

the Boating Ontario Association. The Boating Ontario

Association, along with over 20 marine industry

professionals and anglers’ associations, formed the Clean

Marine Partnership to develop a voluntary program of

Environmental Best Practices for the marine industry.

Boating Ontario member marinas have been enrolling in the

Clean Marine Program to ensure their marinas are

following environmentally sound practices and protecting

our waterways for all to enjoy.

Just as Boating Ontario Clean Marine program members

have committed themselves to following the best

environmental practices, you too can help. Look for

products with Canada’s Environmental Choice logo to use

for the maintenance of your boat.

Products bearing the symbol with three doves intertwined

to make a maple leaf are products that have been

produced in a more environmentally responsible manner

and their use i s least impactful on the environment.

Clean Marine Declaration

legislation.

Since 2007, all tenants of the Town of Oakville moorings

have declared their acceptance of their adherence with

the Clean Marine Program adopted by the Town.

Oakville Town Council approved the following text of the

Clean Marine Declaration in August 2006:

The Town of Oakville understands and recognizes the

vital importance of maintaining a clean, natural

environment as being fundamental to all activities in

our harbours. In accepting and adopting those best

management principles and operating practices that are

most appropriate to the operations in our harbours, the

Town of Oakville commits to the best of its ability to:

• Promote good environmental practices;

• Eliminate the release of contaminants to the

water, both directly and indirectly;

• Minimize the release of pollutants to the

atmosphere;

• Avoid contamination of the ground;

• Adopt waste reduction, reuse and recycling

strategies;

• Optimize energy and water conservation;

• Conform to the requirements of all relevant

The Town of Oakville will ensure that our harbours’

management will introduce sound environmental

practices into every aspect of our operation. We will

train our employees to understand and implement these

practices and we will provide the resources, within the

discretion of Council, that are needed to allow these

objectives to be fulfilled.

The philosophy of this Clean Marine Declaration will be

integrated into contracts entered into between the Town

of Oakville and our clients in the harbours.

All suppliers and contractors will be made aware of the

intent of this Declaration and will be required to adopt

these same good practices when providing materials or

services in the harbours.

The Town of Oakville commits to an ongoing program of

self-evaluation of the environmental practices in our

Harbours, and we will strive to continually upgrade and

improve our environmental performance to reflect future

developments in both marina management techniques

and environmental-friendly products, as and when these

become available.

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Bronte Harbour

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Just off breakwaters

Lat. 43˚23.55 min. North

Long. 79˚42.32 min. West

The area that is presently Bronte was first settled

by Europeans beginning in 1807, after the land was

purchased from the Mississauga tribe and Trafalgar

Township was surveyed. By 1856, Bronte was a busy

Lake Ontario port, exporting wheat, building ships, and

developing a thriving commercial fishery and stone-

hooking industry. The town’s population grew to 550.

With the coming of the railroad, the harbour business

declined and the population went down to 220.

Bronte was incorporated as a village in 1952. Ten years

later, the village and part of the Township of Trafalgar

were amalgamated into the Town of Oakville.

Unlike neighbouring Oakville, where by the late 1820s

William Chisholm had financed a harbour privately,

development of port facilities in Bronte was delayed until

the founding of the Bronte Harbour Company.

Led by Samuel Bealey Harrison, a politician, lawyer, and

judge, residents of Bronte petitioned the government

of Upper Canada to incorporate a company to build

a harbour at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek. After a

ten-year struggle to obtain support, the Bronte Harbour

Company was founded in 1846.

By 1856, construction of Bronte’s newly dredged harbour

with two piers and a lighthouse was complete. The village’s

waterfront was transformed from a shallow marshland,

inaccessible from the water, to a harbour with sufficient

depth to sustain itself as a thriving Lake Ontario port.

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Oakville Harbour

Just off breakwaters

Lat. 43˚ 26.31 min. North

Long. 79˚ 39.92 min. West

In 1827 Oakville was founded by Colonel William

Chisholm, after he purchased 1000 acres of Crown land at

the mouth of the Sixteen Mile Creek.

Chisholm’s great dream of building a privately owned

harbour for Upper Canada was quickly realized in 1834,

when Oakville was declared a Port of Entry into Canada.

Main exports included pine timbers and oak staves. As

business prospered, so did other industries including

wheat dealers and storage granaries.

In the mid-1800s, Oakville was hit by a recession,

impacting the price of wheat, and Oakville’s foundry and

harbour business. To offset the depression, fruit growing

became a considerable business, and in particular

Oakville was actively trading strawberries, spurring a

basket manufacturing plant.

After a recession and the building of the railroad, the

harbour business weakened and Oakville became a

“holiday destination” for many. It was fashionable to

summer in Oakville, known as a holiday paradise.

Oakville also became a destination for the Royal

Canadian Yacht Club Races, from Toronto, along with

the building of The Oakville Club in 1907.

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Oakville Harbours Services Emergency Contacts

The Oakville Harbours Office is located at 2508 Lakeshore

Road West in Bronte Harbour. Staff operates a full-service

marina. Services include launch, haul, mast stepping,

unstepping, bottom washing and winter/summer storage.

Please call ServiceOakville 905-845-6601 for rates, fees,

hours of operation.

Mechanical repairs, boat repairs are available at the

marina.

Other services at Bronte Harbour and vicinity

• Boat and fiberglass repairs

• Restaurants

• Grocery store

• Banks

• Fast food outlets

• Beer and Liquor store

Other Services at Oakville Harbour and vicinity

• Banks

• Grocery store

• Bakery

• Restaurants

• Beer and Liquor store

• Library

Police

911 or 905-825-4777

Marine Police

VHF 16 or 905-825-4777

Fire

911 or 905-637-8253

After hours harbours emergency line

905-845-6601

T.O.W.A.R.F.

VHF channel 16 or 68 or 905-845-8931

Oakville Marina - ServiceOakville

905-845-6601

Town of Oakville - ServiceOakville

905-845-6601

Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital

905-845-2571

Useful resources

Webcam at Oakville harbour -

http://www.towarf.com/webcam.html

TOWARF weather station -

http://www.towarf.com/marineweather.html

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Fees

The rates and fees are available online at

www.oakville.ca. Please review the price list of services

so that you will be familiar with the charges for the

different services that you may request.

Security

If you have a security related issue call the Marine Police

at 905-825-4777, and when possible advise the Harbours

Office.

Speed Limit -

Parking Lots and Access Roads

The access roads and parking lots in the marina are for

everyone’s safe use. Please obey the speed limit and

posted parking signage in and around both harbours.

Use of launch ramp is by permit only. Please remember to

display your vehicle pass on your dashboard to ensure its

visibility.

Barbecues

The use of barbecues is not permitted on boats moored in

the harbours or on the docks. Propane and charcoal

barbecues can be used in designated areas off the

walkways. Please ensure you clean-up after use when you

are finished.

Cradle and Trailer Storage

Collapsible cradles and boat trailers may be stored at the

Marina, or an off-site storage location. Please contact the

Harbours Office to discuss your cradle or trailer storage

requirement.

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9

Green Boating Practices -

Protecting our Natural Environment

Reference: for a cleaner tomorrow OMOA Clean Marine Clean Boater Handbook

Spring Pre-Launch Checklist

Bronte Harbour: Book your launch date with Harbours

Office

Oakville Harbour: Tenants will be advised of launch

dates for boats.

Boat Covers

Reusable Covers/tarps and single-use shrink wrap are the

most commonly used products to cover vessels prior to

winter storage.

Shrink wrap is designed for single use and is not widely

accepted in municipal curbside recycling programs.

The Town of Oakville employs a shrink wrap recycling

company to collect all discarded shrink wrap removed on

town property.

Please rollup, tie, and place the removed shrink wrap in

the areas designated at both harbours for pickup. Wooden

or metal supporting structure for the shrinkwrap should

be taken home for reuse or disposed of separately. For

reusable covers, if cleaning is required be certain to use a

cleaner that is certified by Ecologo.

Boat Cleaning

Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products that are

certified by the Ecologo program. Clean your hull on-shore

to avoid the cleaning product, whether an environmental

product or not, from being washed into the lake.

Waxing

Non-skid decks are slippery and dangerous when wet or

waxed. Ecologo Deck Traction Wax is recommended to

provide traction. Waxing the deck allows the deck to be

cleaned with just water for the remainder of the season.

Scraping/Sanding

All scraping and sanding must take place on land rather

than water. Scraping and sanding must occur over

a drop cloth and the boat may be required to be enclosed

with plastic to prevent transfer of materials to other boats.

All collected dust must be disposed of as hazardous

waste. Use a quality dust mask and dustless sander to

protect yourself from airborne particles. Refrain from

sanding on smog days or high wind days.

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Battery Charging

No boat in land storage may be plugged into electricity

without the owner being present. No electrical appliance,

battery charger or heater is to be left on unattended.

Propane and other fuel heaters are not allowed to be used

on boats in storage. Batteries are recommended to be

disconnected from all systems for the winter.

Bilge Cleaning

Clean the bilge while the boat is on land. The discharge

of oily bilge water onto the dock yard surface or into the

harbours and lake is prohibited. An absorbent pad or

bilge sock is recommended for the bilge.

Fuel Tank Top-up

Top up of fuel tanks on a boat on a storage cradle or in

the harbour is prohibited. A 90 per cent tank full level is

recommended. Do not overfill the tanks as the fuel

tends to expand once the weather gets warmer.

Engine Startup

The discharge of any anti-freeze liquids into the waters of

the harbours with engine startup after launch is

prohibited. Owners are required to use glycol free

antifreeze for winterizing and to run fresh water through

their systems while on land.

Oil Recycling

On-site oil and anti-freeze recycling is offered at Bronte and

Oakville Marina.

Battery Disposal

Exhausted batteries may be left at the designated areas

in Bronte or Oakville Habour or taken to the Household

Hazardous Waste Depot at the Halton Waste

Management Site at 5400 Regional Road 25, north of

Dundas Street, south of Britannia Road.

Paint can, brush, roller and tray disposal

Most paints and related solvents are very volatile. Spray

painting and sand (soda) blasting is not allowed in the

yard unless prior approval from the Harbours Supervisor

is granted. Paint cans, brushes, rollers and trays are to be

disposed of at the locations designated.

Fall - Pre-Haul-out Checklist Bronte: Book your haul-out date with the Harbours Office.

Oakville: Tenants will be advised of haul-out dates for

boats as well as dates for unstepping masts.

Oil and Antifreeze Disposal

On-site oil and anti-freeze recycling is offered at Bronte and Oakville Marina.

Engine Winterizing

Use of non-glycol based antifreeze is mandatory.

Electrical Use Over Winter

No boat in land storage may be plugged into electricity

without the owner being present. No electrical appliance,

battery charger or heater is to be left on unattended.

Propane and other fuel heaters are not allowed to be used

on boats in storage. Batteries should be disconnected

from all systems for the winter.

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Eco Alternatives to Toxic Cleaners

Fiberglass Baking soda and salt

Aluminum 1 tbsp. of cream of tartar in a half- liter of hot water

Brass Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and salt solution

Chrome Vinegar and salt solution

Copper Lemon juice and salt solution

Decks 1 part vinegar to 8 parts water

Hair Baby shampoo (phosphate-free and PH balanced)

Hands Baby oil or margarine

Clear Plastic 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water

Mildew Vinegar and salt solution

Shower Wet the area, apply baking soda and wipe

Toilet Baking soda

Windows 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water

Wood Polish with olive oil

Chrome/metal Polish with baby oil

Bleaching Hydrogen peroxide

Scouring Baking soda

Battery Disposal

Exhausted batteries may be left at the designated area in

the marina yard at Bronte/Oakville Habour or taken to the

Household Hazardous Waste Depot at the Halton Waste

Management Site at 5400 Regional Road 25, north of

Dundas Street, south of Britannia Road.

Waste and Recycling

Tenants, boaters and visitors are asked to dispose of waste

in the appropriate containers located within the harbour

properties. Residential waste is not permitted. Recycling

centers are available at both harbours.

Re-Fuelling

The use of an absorbent blanket or sock to catch and

retain any fuel/oil spills or leaks is highly recommended.

Reference: Marine Safety - Transport Canada

Feedback

Your feedback is important to us. If you have a boating

tip or suggestion to improve this handbook, please email

serviceoakville@oakville.ca

Town of Oakville Harbours Office Town of Oakville - ServiceOakville

2508 Lakeshore Road West

Oakville, ON L6L 1H8

Tel: 905-845-6601

1225 Trafalgar Road

Oakville, ON L6H 0H3

Tel: 905-845-6601

Fax: 905-469-8207 TTY: 905-338-4200 serviceoakville@oakville.ca

Revised – January, 2018