DEAR EDITOR:
The July 1 Undercurrent reported that Metro Parks intends to demolish Cottage#12 in the Davies Orchard. Since 2018 four of the last ten surviving cottages have already gone and now another one.
For decades countless individuals and groups have tried to work with Metro Parks, formerly GVRD, to protect the last vestiges of the Union Steamships’ vast hotel, picnic sites and cottage park – Bowen Island’s once glorious past as Vancouver’s summer and weekend paradise.
In 2018, the Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association collected more than 560 signatures on a petition to Metro to save the Cottages and 27 trades people signed up to offer their time and expertise as their donation to this rescue mission.
Metro voted it down and our own council has ignored the Heritage Commission – it’s own creation
Metro’s method is to let the cottages rot until they are declared beyond repair.
The very governmental bodies, our municipal council and Metro, which should be the custodians of our common heritage are betraying us.
To add insult to injury: with our tax dollars!
HC Behm
