Update: May 1
The Beach cleanup and appreciation is at 10AM Saturday.
As is often the case with hot-button topics, this topic just got hotter. The Peak is reporting that the City, Port Authority and a local business have signed an agreement to use the remaining (northern) parts of the city owned property for industrial purposes. (A boat repair or launching yard? Not clear at this moment). I have to keep an open mind on the benefit in the long run, but I am very disappointed that this has come about so suddenly and in the midst of real discussion and excitement around the public access opportunities at the beach.
Basically it seems like the City just told the public to back off. This on the day after a successful open house was held and in the midst of a petition to expand the park.
The petition question is in the poll at the side of this page. If you answer yes you might want to check out the petition that will be at the beach on Saturday for the cleanup and BBQ.
This is a great example of where the City should be listening to its residents. Perhaps we should also consider a formal referendum in November on the question of whether to keep the rest of the site Industrial, or turn the whole public portion into a park.
What should have happened here is the Port Authority and/or potential renter should have responded publicly to the RFP issued in September which closed in November and that could have been weighed with the plan by the Canal Beach Watersports Society to have the entire plywood site become a recreational destination.
Then the public could decide.
_____ Original Post _____
So what do we do with that beach? Here’s a challenge, sometime this weekend in between rain showers, why not go down and check out the beach? You probably have already, but if not, why not?
If you’re not sure where it is, just head to the end of 3rd Ave.
When you get back, or if you’ve been there already. Come back here and drop a note about what you think should be done with it?
Is it good the way it is?
Should the big dock be resurfaced? Torn down? Replaced?
Should the beach be expanded north to include the property closer to the mill that current is an industrial storage area?
Here is an image of what a local group has put together for what the beach might look like (with that extra north property).
Did you know that the area was given to the City for $1 by MacMillan Bloedel with a condition (covenant) that no overnight accommodation be allowed on the site?
What are your thoughts?
Have a great weekend!
P.S. Oh ya! Almost forgot to add there will be an Open House about the beach at Echo Centre on Wednesday! There should be lots of info there and you can share ideas there too!
I think the City should develop a long-term plan to restore the area (remove contaminated soil, dredge the water, etc.), including costs, then take the matter to a proper referendum ballot. Let the people decide!
It appears that the current mayor has made some kind of behind-the-scenes informal deal with a water sports group (that up until recently leased the area for their private business) that would result in city taxpayers footing the bill for the development of their non-motorized water sports venture.
Thanks Susan!
Campbell River has miles of beautiful undeveloped beach, people can go there, sit at water’s edge and have a picnic……….no amenities, no paid employees, no tax expenditures…….maybe a clean up at the beginning of the season. Although the time I actually sat on one of the beaches at the Willow Point end of the city, there was no garbage, few people. Drive up, sit for a while……………leave. I took my granddaughter to Canal Beach and she had fun playing in the sand, looking for special rocks, looking at boats going by. Except for a few benches up top, maybe a porta potty( altho I think people can just go home if they have to go to the bathroom…….it’s not way out in the bush or anything. )…….I don’t want to see more development or expenditure. Just give us a natural access to water, make it a Zen garden effect if you must do anything. A place for contemplation and communion with God and Nature.
And our city should put minimal efforts into developing the Kingsway Ave park as a park, with a few picnic benches and clearing a bit of brush that obscures water views. That should remain undeveloped too, it’s our Stanley Park. It’s delightful there under the trees…..they hold it as a future development site despite clear directions from the people years ago we don’t want development there. And we want Clutesi to remain a boat lauch………….despite the fact they sold most of the parking spots. Our city needs to start attracting business that doesn’t need water access………..like hemp farms, solar/wind power technologies, technical as opposed to industrial companies. NO coal port!!!!!!
Totally agree Janis! It doesn’t have to be big or flashy, people just want somewhere to be able to enjoy our waterfront. It doesn’t have to be expensive at all or a big drain on City Budgets. Small things like park benches, a small gazebo and restrooms, and a beach volleyball area are things our many community groups can likely fundraise for.
The two big questions will be
#1: Remediation of the toxins in the ground. It has to be safe. But there is funding for that and a lot of the testing has been done.
#2: The dock/pier. It is the big ticket item and it can’t stay the way it is. Personally don’t know if it’s really necessary to have for a public access because but because of its size, it may cost just as much to remove it completely than it would to repair it for use. So that is something we will have to flesh out in greater detail.