FALSE CREEK - Thousands of boaters, yacht charterers and commuter ferries in Vancouver are five weeks away from losing their False Creek fuelling station -- with no alternative in sight.

Imperial Oil, which operates the Esso gas dock that has been tucked under the Burrard Street Bridge since the 1930s, will close the station Sept. 30. The company is pulling out of all seven of its retail marine operations in B.C.

The move leaves hundreds of recreational boats at the city's two highly lucrative marinas without a gas dock. The nearest centre is a Chevron station in Coal Harbour -- a return ride worth about $20 in fuel for smaller power boats, and as much as $100 for larger vessels.

And it leaves the angry owners of two False Creek commuter ferry firms and several large boat charterers without any option but hauling in fuel or making a long and expensive trip to Coal Harbour.

Commercial fishing boats berthed at the federal dock in False Creek also use the gas dock.

Imperial notified the city in January of its intention to leave, but agreed to two extensions to keep gas flowing during the busy summer boating season.

Imperial spokesman Gordon Wong told The Province that Sept. 30 will be the final day of service. After that, for liability reasons, all tanks, pumps and lines will be removed.

Wong said that "talks" on the dock's future continued, but could not say where they might lead.

Vancouver Parks Board chairman Ian Robertson confirmed yesterday that the city's efforts to find an alternative operator have failed. But there is some hope, he insisted.

Imperial is continuing its own search for an operator. Its efforts were delayed while its right to reassign the provincial water lease below the barge to another party was clarified, Robertson said.

Allan Keefe, who has operated the station for two decades and remains interested in the business, has

lobbied without success for the city to assume the lease and act as a landlord to the operator.

City workers were at the marina early this week assessing where new tanks and equipment might be installed.

© The Vancouver Province 2008