Parks Canada will reveal its revised concept of what a national park on Bowen Island might look like at a public meeting on Thursday, August 25.
Two days later, islanders will be able to drop by Parks Canada's booth at Bowfest to tell the federal agency what they think about the plan and ask questions.
Then, a week later, on September 6, council will come back from its August break to receive the concept plan and decide where to go next.
Councillor Nerys Poole, who has been the lead liaison with Parks Canada, said she would like council to come to the September 12 meeting with some ideas around the wording for the public referendum on the issue.
The referendum, which council is committed to, had been initially slated for the end of June. However, a federal election and the retirement of two key staff people delayed Parks Canada's ability to incorporate public feedback about the draft concept plan into a revised one. Council didn't want the vote until the revised concept plan was presented.
At the time of delaying the referendum, council had talked about holding the park vote in tandem with the municipal election in November. No decision was made.
Councillor Cro Lucas was concerned and disappointed that the results of Parks Canada's feasibility study won't be available before the vote. He said that the revised concept plan probably won't contain more than what everyone knew a month ago.
"I don't see it as being a very complicated process," he said. "Our vote will be a yes or a no but I don't see it as rocket science about what could be aspects of the park. I think if there'd been a quicker response [from Parks Canada], people would have been more receptive."
In a press release, Parks Canada says, "should the park concept have general public support, and based on the conclusions of the feasibility assessment, the governments of Canada and British Columbia will decide if they will enter into negotiations to establish national park reserve lands on Bowen Island. If those negotiations are successful, a collaborative interim and management planning process for the national park reserve lands would follow.
"The feasibility assessment will conclude following the completion of consultations and the Bowen Island Municipality community vote. Recommendations will then be made to the Governments of Canada and British Columbia on whether or not it is feasible to establish national park reserve lands on Bowen Island."
Poole said she was glad that Parks Canada spent the time to include public input into the revised concept plan.
The revised concept plan will be mailed directly to all Bowen Island addresses as well as off-island property owners.
