Cotreatment concerns
I am deeply concerned about the way Powell River is being led into adopting a “cotreatment” sewage plan that I believe will have negative impacts on the city as a whole [“Consultation plan goes back to staff,” February 9]. It appears that the consulting engineering firm hired by the Cty of Powell River has an inherent bias toward placing the sewerage treatment in Townsite because odour control would be less of an issue.
In a letter dated January 17, 2008 Dayton and Knight Ltd., the engineering company the city has hired to consult on different sewage options, said the waste transfer site location would cause a “critical odour nuisance.” The letter said that odour abatement problems would cost less if the sewage plant was located in Townsite.
Dayton and Knight’s letter conflicts with the 2003 conclusions of the public advisory committee. Based on objective criteria, this committee selected the waste transfer site as the best site for Powell River’s sewage treatment plant. At the time, the process and the criteria were developed with the assistance of Dayton and Knight.
The waste transfer site is much further away from homes than the Townsite location proposed in the “cotreatment” option. Odour abatement would only cost less for a Townsite location if odour impacts on Townsite residents are ignored and not costed into the design. Townsite needs to be treated as part of Powell River’s “pearl” concept. It is time that we treated all residents with the same standard of care.
The present council seems to be considering not including costs for state-of-the-art odour control, citing funding limitations. We have to demand that state-of-the-art odour abatement be part of the design criteria for any proposed sewerage treatment option. State-of-the-art odour control must be costed into the design or we will face an overall drop in our quality of life, property values and our ability to diversify our economy.
Catalyst Paper Corporation has been working hard within Townsite to reduce odour and its impact on residents and businesses. We appreciate its efforts. We expect that city officials will follow industry’s lead on ensuring state-of-the-art odour control on any new sewerage proposal.
Marion Blank
Laburnum Avenue
Editor’s note: To read Dayton and Knight’s letter, click here.
Proceed no further
I read with dismay the article “Directors support deepwater shipping port” in the Peak February 2.
Am I the only one concerned with the worrying idea of large numbers of tankers and container ships coming and going along the Malaspina Strait heading for the proposed deepwater dock on the east side of Texada Island? Wouldn’t this be a great disturbance to our aquatic wildlife in the shape of noise and light pollution and a potential disaster should any of the ships prove to be not very safe and seaworthy and owners unconcerned with where they dump their tanks? Not to mention the ugly eyesore of huge ships moored for days in full view of Powell River residents.
I cannot see what benefit it would have for the shipping companies anyway as there are no road or rail links from Texada.
I really do hope this awful idea goes no further.
Holly Roy
Traffe Road
LWMP consultation
Facilitator Geoff Allan, in discussing public consultation on the Liquid Waste Management Plan with the City of Powell River [“Consultation plan goes back to staff,” February 9], is quoted as saying “you don’t consult the public directly...if you don’t expect they will have an opportunity to influence a decision.” Of course, that’s not the way it is supposed to be according to the provincial Guidelines for Developing a Liquid Waste Management Plan, which I trust was Allan’s point. The guidelines require consultation in which the public is permitted and even encouraged to influence the decision. Section 5.5 lays out criteria to determine whether the process meets the objectives of meaningful public participation. These criteria include that the process “encourages public support and commitment to the public involvement program by allowing public participation in the design of the program,” “provides the public with opportunities for direct consultation with appropriate officials,” and “ensures public concerns are integrated into the planning process and are given the same weight as technical advice.”
I hope it is not the case that city officials are thinking that the public meetings should be a place to present a predetermined decision rather than a forum where the views of the public are truly considered on an equal footing with other issues. The city should work with Allan to shape a public engagement process that will receive and take heed of the concerns and recommendations of the residents. The decision makers must have an open mind so they can really hear and integrate the public input. This means they should not be committed to any one alternative before the public is invited to express their preferences and concerns. One more thing: the guidelines specifically state the public should be involved in the design of the consultation program; it should not be created behind closed doors. I suggest that Allan be invited to a meeting of the joint technical-local advisory committee as soon as possible so that the best methods of public consultation can be openly and democratically discussed.
Paul Schachter
Malaspina Road
No place for flushings
My husband and I own and have restored two homes in Townsite. Six years ago when we moved to Powell River we were amazed by the potential of the community. It was heartening to see that others valued the museum-like quality of the place and were putting serious energy and resources into fixing up and maintaining vintage buildings. So much has been done since. Like us, many people have sunk their lifetime savings into it.
The option to store uncapped sewage immediately below our beautifully renovated management housing is so discouraging to those of us who live nearby [“Consultation plan goes back to staff,” February 9], you wouldn’t believe it. The classiness of that row of housing is not repeated anywhere else. It is unique to Powell River. Throughout Townsite, the brackets, trims, porches and rooflines of another era look out over the sea. Every summer we have tourists touring up and down our sidewalks enjoying the nostalgia of it all.
We look on the Catalyst Paper Corporation mill as a vital element in a working town. We purchased our places eyes-wide-open knowing it was there. But the plans to use its old clarifier for storage of Powell River’s flushings, using old and inadequate technology, is really shortsighted. It could be likened to shooting oneself in the foot if you allowed yourself the chance to really consider the potential of this south-sloping, ocean-viewing, quaint-looking (state-of-the-art, in its day) settlement.
We urge our City of Powell River mayor and council to rethink the plan.
Deborah and Leo Zagwyn
Sycamore Street
Memories being demolished
As a former teacher whose first assignment in Powell River was in Max Cameron Secondary School, like many former residents of this town, I have numerous very found memories of Max and was horrified to learn of its destruction [“Max Cameron demo begins,” February 2].
In New Zealand and Iceland, both of which are major earthquake zones, all public buildings are earthquake proofed. Therefore, in a time when we have many expenditures, it is total folly to destroy something good which has many uses besides being a school.
I question the current craze for destroying good buildings, especially when various public authorities can be bailed out by government. No one in their right mind would consciously destroy their own house.
So, it’s my deep personal wish to save this school which I have many fond memories of, especially as I live near by and pass that school every day.
Brin Wilson
Egmont Street
Dialogue over arena site
Chances are there’s something wrong with this hasty process [“Council votes to hold second public hearing,” January 26]. A couple of hours for “public consultation” and then that’s it. No more chances. Be there or be square. Meanwhile, who the heck knows this “process” is even going on? Most people in this town, I would wager, have no idea there even is a February 16 meeting. Surely, there’s got to be fairer ways to draw people’s voices and dialogue into this process than this.
Maybe people aren’t interested in selling Willingdon Beach area real estate for revenues. Maybe.
Another thing is, if this is just a “benign” rezoning, it begs the question of what does Powell River Regional Economic Development Society have to do with the picture?
On the subject of economic development, a concept here, in some people’s minds, is drawing people, clumps of people, to the Marine Avenue business area. I’m not sure this talk belongs on this table, certainly not in the middle of it.
Richard Wright
Egmont Street
