Reader asks for a halt to proceedings
Fellow Bowen Islanders,
I did not vote for most of the previous council, but I did vote for most of you. I did so by listening to many of you discuss your views on this issue. To my knowledge, none of you came out as proponents of this project, yet here we are having to rein you in and ask that you reconsider approval of the project forthwith.
We are not equipped to handle the infrastructure stresses this is likely to cause. I am unaware of any public (as in Bowen Island citizenry) desire ever being expressed to encourage your actions in any way.
I will not go into the numerous impacts a project such as this will have on the fabric of the community. I will add my voice to the many who have spoken to the ferry concerns, the impact of traffic on quiet neighbourhood streets (I am not on an affected street, but I sympathize with those who are), and the almost certain increase in property crime and fire risks. We would be forced to live with these issues or pay heavily to mitigate them. For whose benefit?
I am strongly against approval for this project and feel that most of my fellow Islanders agree. Stop the project now.
- Evan Clow
Please Take Your Time
Mayor and Council,
I’m writing regarding the proposed park at Cape Roger Curtis.
I’ve read many of the letters submitted with their various points of view and believe the park has become a significant distraction from important work the municipality needs to be doing. It has likely done more to polarize our community than anything I’ve seen in my short time living on Bowen. I ask you to consider the health of our community.
The surprise of the park and its predictable reaction is damaging relationships between individuals, families, and our community. Our island is reacting with anger, hostility, and mistrust which can have a significant impact on our health. I believe that allowing these conditions to continue challenges our ability to work together to find common ground on important issues.
I believe that our community needs assurance that the second reading of the proposed bylaw won’t proceed until Bowen Island Municipality receives a four-season comprehensive environmental and conservation assessment, and the viable transportation options needed in order to create a sensible park plan. These assessments will take a full year or more to assemble.
Delaying the second reading would allow Council to focus on the many issues it inherited, delay camping and the inherent problems that come with it, and enable our community to come together. Instead of focusing on what divides us, we could take advantage of this pause and focus on what can be done to bring us together, working on positive initiatives like our Official Community Plan (OCP), which is sadly out of date.
By building a shared vision, I’m confident that much of the toxicity and tension will be reduced, allowing us to take advantage of that time to come together as a community. I’m confident that if we can create that vision for Bowen, we can create a park that we can all be proud of.
Thank you for your consideration and for taking the time to represent our community’s best interest.
Respectfully,
- Don Shafer
Referendum or No Deal
As there appears to be some question regarding the validity of a signed online petition(s), I would like to make it very clear that I am opposed to enabling any form of camping at the proposed park at Cape Roger Curtis.
I also believe strongly in the democratic process of determining what those affected by a seismic change to their community (ie. all Bowen Island residents and businesses) think, which in today’s environment can only be accurately determined by holding a referendum - easily done, cost effective, and definitive.
Why not?
In the likely event that a referendum will not be held, please add this letter to the ‘No camping at Cape Roger Curtis’ pile.
Thank you,
- Tarrnie Williams
