View of the new-look Fairwinds Marina at Schooner Cove in Nanoose Bay. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Fairwinds Marina

Revamped Fairwinds marina opens, housing development continues

Apr 9, 2025 | 2:16 PM

NANOOSE BAY — A modernized, newly re-opened marina tucked into Schooner Cove represents the latest in many pending additions to the area.

Georgia Desjardins, vice president of development for Seacliff Properties, officially unveiled the newly completed Fairwinds Marina, involving around 250 new boat slips at a Wednesday, April 9 news conference.

Located at 3521 Dolphin Dr. beneath the Fairwinds Landing building, Desjardins said the marina includes a new fuel dock location and improved on-shore amenities for boaters.

“…making sure we had this welcoming space that invites people to come and explore Nanoose Bay was fundamental to our future vision for growing the Fairwinds community,” Desjardins told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Stating Seacliff Properties invested more than $10 million in the marina enhancements, Desjardins said the facility can accommodate boats between 25 and 100 feet long.

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Desjardins said the work was done ahead of schedule, with the project lasting two years and 10 months.

She said phasing provisions were built into the construction to assist the minority of boaters who couldn’t find alternate moorage arrangements while the overhaul was being done.

Entrance to Fairwinds Landing, home to a restaurant and short-term housing, as well as Fairwinds Marina. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Rowan Gloag, Fairwinds Marina manager who oversaw the project, said their new marina represents determination and resilience.

He said in particular, the extremely challenging building conditions they faced over the winter.

“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 told the assembled crowd.

Seacliff Properties has approval to construct roughly 2,000 additional homes on the remaining approximately 700 acres of development space as part of its Fairwinds community.

Desjardins said the first new single-family subdivision development is moving forward with the expected sale of lots to begin this summer.

While most of the remaining new housing is expected to be of the detached, single-family variety, Desjardins said the hope is to have townhome and condo construction happen concurrently.

“If someone comes to the Fairwinds community and wants to make this their home, we have a diversity of offerings depending on what they’re looking for – that’s what we’re going to be working towards.”

In addition to a marina and housing development, the Fairwinds community includes an 18-hole golf course and wellness centre.

(L-R) RDN Electoral Area E (Nanaoose Bay) director Bob Rogers, Rowan Gloag, and Georgia Desjardins at a Wednesday, April 9 news conference unveiling the new Fairwinds Marina (Seacliff Properties)

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