A Letter to Council about the Beach

I sent a letter to the City and Council about Canal Beach this morning urging them to pursue a public input process before making any more decisions about the Plywood site.  It is at the bottom of this post.

I personally believe it is long past time for the City to have a full service waterfront beach park.  Also, if it remains industrial, there is no requirement to clean up the toxic mess that is known to exist under the soil.  That said, there are arguments to be made around potential industrial job creation and those must be investigated fully.  There is a good editorial about it in todays AV Times.

No matter what you believe should be done with the property, if you believe a full airing of this issue by the City should happen before any further commitments or leases are signed, I strongly encourage you to send a letter to the local papers or to the City.

In my letter I mention a petition (available at Steam Punk Cafe) and polls that have been circulating in the community.  Here are current polls (including the one here on this website) as I’ve seen them around the inter webs this morning.. none are scientific or should be used to decide anything but it’s always worth expressing your opinion: (Click the images to be taken to the polls)

Facebook Group "AV Chatter Box" Poll results as of Tuesday 8:35AM
Facebook Group “AV Chatter Box” Poll results as of Tuesday 8:35AM
Poll on murkyview.ca/chrisalemany.ca results as of Tuesday 8:40AM
Poll on murkyview.ca/chrisalemany.ca results as of Tuesday 8:40AM
AV Times Poll online results as of 8:30AM Tuesday May 20
AV Times Poll online results as of 8:30AM Tuesday May 20
As appears on AV News website as of Tuesday May 20 at 8:40AM
As appears on AV News website as of Tuesday May 20 at 8:40AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___________

Mayor Port Alberni <john_douglas@portalberni.ca>
Davina Hartwell <davina_hartwell@portalberni.ca>
Ken Watson <ken_watson@portalberni.ca>
Jack McLeman <jmcln@shaw.ca>
Cindy Solda <cindysolda@me.com>
Wendy Lee Kerr <info@wendykerr.ca>
Dan washington <dwashington@alberniengineering.com>
Rob Cole <rob@islandtimebt.com>
Hira Chopra <bluebirdmotel@shaw.ca>
Susan Quinn <editor@albernivalleynews.com>
Letters AV Times <news@avtimes.net>
___________

Dear Mayor, City Councillors and Staff,

Given that:
– there has been intense public interest in the use of the City owned former Plywood site generated since Lot C’s conversion to a beach (demonstrated by events, formal and informal petitions and polls and a recent public information session).
– there are significant long term social, economic and environmental implications for the future of land use on the waterfront within City Limits.
– there is no extended public input process currently required or planned before leases are approved for Lots A or B.

I respectfully request that the City undertake an extended and expanded public input process including but not limited to public hearings and/or public information sessions to determine what should be done with Lots A and B before any leases or other uses are approved by City Council.

Sincerely,

Chris Alemany

2 replies on “A Letter to Council about the Beach”

  1. Good letter, Chris! I was hoping these backdoor deals would have stopped after the Transformation Center fiasco with the city and PAPA. I think Alberni Eng. should rent space from WFP at their Somass Mill – almost right next door to their existing business plus the mill is close to being vacant. I wonder exactly how many new jobs will be created. Our former major was quoted as saying the new dryland log sort beside APD would create new jobs and retain more wood in the valley. Apparently those jobs were filled with employees from another log sort down the inlet so in reality zero new jobs were created. With the amount of logs being shipped away daily you certainly cannot say more wood is being retained in the valley. Alberni Pacific Division sawmill continuously has to struggle to find saw logs. It now looks like PAPA has a log export storage site on their dock. Apparently PAPA is also leasing the former plywood mill parking lot and they are renting it out to someone for storage. Wondering why the city can’t do their own leasing.

    Canal Beach is one of the most exciting developments that has happened to PA in a long time and will even get better with minimal $. We have been to Hood River, Oregon several times and have been impressed with how that city is thriving year round due to all the wind enthusiasts. Our raw logs are being shipped away along with our manufacturing jobs. WFP is currently in the process of spending millions at APD which will eliminate another 26 jobs at the sawmill. It is way past time for our city to move on and start improving our waterfront access.

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