What about Thompson Road?
It was very upsetting to hear the pronouncement that Whitesails Drive will BE the entrance to the park. No discussion!
I do not live anywhere near Whitesails nor on any major road on the island, but as a supporter of The Park, I would like to express my disappointment that you have not looked at Thompson Road.
Thompson Road is a very short road off Sunset Road… a relatively new road (compared to most of the island roads) which was purposely built vs blacktopping over dirt paths and is less than a three minute drive once you turn off Adams Road. By way of an extension by either a walk-in trail or road, visitors will proceed past the protected Fairy Fen (stop for photographs) and enter at the (new) official entrance to The Park.
There would be NO interference of more than a hundred homes on Whitesails and would save about 10 minutes driving through the privately owned and inhabited areas of The Cape! (Saving carbon emissions... especially though a heavily populated area).
I am sure Metro Vancouver Parks ecological experts can easily come up with a way to circumnavigate Fairy Fen and make it an important part of the Park Experience!
Thank you for your consideration to this concept.
While I have your attention… could I suggest that instead of insisting for the 100 campsites… A little less intrusive “sell” to the concerned islanders you request for UP TO 100 sites, but with a phase-in model of, perhaps 10 sites of each style of camping so you can understand how the different styles of camping (and glamping) will work best on the island.
- Murray Atherton
Let’s put the Horse back in front of the Cart
A $40 Million park development on Bowen Island certainly requires adequate consultation with the citizens of the impacted municipality. Adequate consultation cannot simply be replaced by marketing predetermined ideas in glossy ads, sleek power point presentations to Council, and deep-pocket style public engagement sessions that are out of sync with research, hard evidence-delivering impact studies, and fixed timelines that are driven by undisclosed purchasing agreements between Metro Vancouver and one private property owner.
Instead, Metro Vancouver’s unsolicited park proposal to Bowen Island is pitched in the style of a notorious schoolyard bully who leaves little doubt of the expected outcome of his/her/its proposition.
A park proposal that hinges on changing key policies that are foundational elements of Bowen Island’s municipal identity must expect to be rejected especially when urgent timelines are imposed on a sovereign municipality to amend its Official Community Plan and Land Use Bylaw without any credible analysis and adequate research to address the multiple and far reaching impacts of the proposed park and the adamant insistence by MV on 100 campsites.
A park proposal that was developed in secrecy and pitched without adequate consultation and satisfactory consideration of Bowen Island’s needs and motivated only by MV park’s unilateral vision, underpinned by delusional visions of electric ferries, non-existing parking solutions, etc. must be rejected.
The cart-before-horse proposal must be withdrawn, and a hard reset is required.
Let’s start over, let’s put the horse before the cart, the horse being the community of Bowen Island. How about starting a new conversation, without any predetermined ideas and plans with an open question: How can Bowen Island and MV work together to find a solution for enhanced nature experiences for MV citizens on Bowen Island?
Respectfully yours,
- Lesley Gaunt
Sharing our Wealth
Bowen Island is a unique resource within the Metro Vancouver (or GVRD) area. Those of us lucky enough to live here know what a wonderful and restorative place it is, an escape from the increasing stresses of city life, and a place of outstanding natural beauty.
No one wants this natural wealth compromised in any way. All the residents of Metro and British Columbia contribute directly or indirectly to the costs of Bowen Island; the existing parks, the ferry service, the emergency services, grants towards roads, bike paths, public facilities, etc. We also have the luxury of a short ferry ride to a major Canadian city with all the services and amenities available there for us.
One can make a case that Bowen should share its unique “wealth” with the region and a well designed, well managed Metro park at Cape Roger Curtis can be part of that sharing. It is imperative that the Muni, Metro, The Islands Trust, and the residents of Bowen respectfully collaborate to make this new park successful.
Ferry access, road access (for cars and bicyclists) need analysis and investment to minimize the inevitable impacts of increased use. Camp sites, as are available on many other B.C. islands, need to be carefully planned, phased in over time, and monitored. An on-site resident park manager 24/7 should be part of the planning so issues of noise, fire, etc. will not arise.
It is possible with careful planning that this new Metro Park can be a win-win addition to the Island, our residents, and visitors.
- Bob McGilvray
