Colchester Harbour Marina is being recognized with an international award.
The marina is one of just eight in the country along with 27 beaches to receive the Blue Flag eco-certification this year.
The Blue Flag program is an initiative of the non-profit group Environmental Defence and is celebrating its 30th anniversary after originating in France. The program requires beaches and marinas to meet standards for water quality, environmental management, education, safety and services.
Program Manager Brett Tryon says it's a fairly exclusive club the marina has joined.
"It's a symbol of excellence, so it means that a beach or marina has met a strict set of criteria in a range of issues," says Tryon.
The marina in Colchester is doing a lot right according to Tryon.
"They're doing all the right things in terms of being good environmental stewards — they provide sewage pump out for their users, they use environmentally-friendly cleaning products," says Tryon.
It's the only Blue Flag along Lake Erie in Essex County with the only other one being in Port Stanley.