qathet Regional District’s (qRD) board of directors will consider writing a letter to the province, asking the government to look after its asset in relation to the Inland Lake Provincial Park trail.
At the December 20 committee of the whole meeting, directors reviewed correspondence from provincial minister of environment and climate change strategy George Heyman about the state of disrepair of the trail.
In the November 30 correspondence, Heyman stated that the damage to the bridge is being addressed through funding from the federal disaster financial assistance arrangement program. He stated that BC Parks is committed to seeing the repairs completed as soon as possible, but there are administrative requirements of the federal program that have impacted the timeline for the project. Heyman indicated that a more detailed reply would be coming in two to three weeks.
At the meeting, Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said the disrepair had come up in discussion by regional directors in the past.
“We’ve seen the disrepair at Inland Lake,” said Gisborne. “Now, the province is saying there is going to be more delay because they are getting delays from the federal government. When I read this letter [from the minister], I was absolutely furious. The bridge at Inland Lake was old and rotting and a danger tree fell on it. If I was the federal government, I wouldn’t give the province disaster funding.
“Do we need to send another letter to the province? Everyone I’ve shown this letter to, they get furious, too.”
Gisborne suggested sending correspondence back to the province indicating it is the province’s asset and it’s their responsibility.
“This community built that trail and the province is letting it fall into disrepair,” said Gisborne. “We should send another letter.”
Gisborne made a motion to send another letter to the province.
He said the trail needs to be world-renowned, world-class and wheelchair accessible. He added that people are saying they can’t walk their children down the Inland Lake trail.
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said he understood Gisborne’s frustration, but he was concerned about sending another letter. He said the minister’s letter does not indicate the province is not doing anything, it says funding is being sought.
Fall added that if the province is receiving money from the federal fund, he doesn’t care where the province gets their money from.
City of Powell River director George Doubt said if qRD is writing a letter, he would like it to express the board’s disappointment that they don’t have a plan for replacement of this jewel of accessibility in the parks system. He said efforts are being made to make regional parks as accessible as possible and Inland Lake is one of the key assets.
“I was disappointed with the minister’s reply,” said Doubt. “If we write a letter expressing our disappointment, maybe it will cause them to get whatever funding they can get and get it done.”
Electoral Area C director and board chair Clay Brander said he, too, was disappointed with the condition of the trail. He said the minister’s letter mentioned a detailed response would be sent in two to three weeks, so Brander thought it was premature to be sending another letter to the minister. He said he wouldn’t be against postponing it for another month for the minister to respond.
Brander made a motion to postpone sending the correspondence, but the motion failed.
The motion to recommend the regional board consider sending a letter to minister Heyman regarding Inland Lake carried unanimously.
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