|
 |
 Privatization plans raise alarm bells
July 19/02 -
Privatization plans raise alarm bells for EarthCare
By Corinne Jackson, Capital News contributor
The Canadian EarthCare Society is leaving nothing to chance when it comes to protecting the local environment.
A meeting was held last week between environmental and recreation groups, Tourism Kelowna and various city, regional and provincial officials to discuss the B.C. government's wish to off-load maintenance of forest
recreation sites and come up with an alternate plan. Another meeting is set
for September.
But EarthCare's Lloyd Manchester, isn't convinced that the province is going to ensure a plan is in place before it walks away from the table and,
indeed, what he sees as its responsibility to maintain infrastructure, in
particular, forest service roads.
"It's the responsibility of government to maintain the infrastructure,"
argued the Kelowna-based society's senior policy advisor. If off-loading
occurs, he added, "They'll be denying the public the right to access their
own Crown land."
Ensuring his point is on the record, Manchester fired off letters yesterday
to Premier Gordon Campbell, Minister of Forests Mike de Jong, and Minister of Water, Air and Land Protection Joyce Murray, calling for a full public review before government privatizes B.C. Parks, forest recreation sites, campsites, trails and forest service roads.
Manchester listed Kettle Valley Railway and Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park as examples of popular Okanagan parks that use forest service roads for access.
For example, the KVR is accessed via the Myra Canyon and Little White forest service roads. While not declassified yet, the province is talking about
giving them a 'wilderness' designation which would likely ensure they are
not maintained, noted Manchester.
That lack of maintenance will result in dangerous road conditions. If the
roads are gated, some people may choose alternate routes, causing soil
erosion and harm to the environment. But also, there's the economic impact,
he added.
According to the Myra Canyon Trestle Society's own counts,46,000 people
visited last year alone. And, according to Tourism Kelowna, the spin-off from those visits is about $5 million each season in accommodation, meals and other services.
Speaking yesterday, Manchester said: "We bill this province as Supernatural B.C. What are we telling tourists when they come and can't access parks?"
His concerns are echoed by trestle society director Ken Campbell whose
non-profit group has restored the trestles and provides ongoing maintenance.
"Ninety-five per cent of visitors to the Myra Canyon portion of the KVR
access through those two forest service roads.
We feel very strongly that it
would be a deterrent if they're not maintained," said Campbell.
"Right now they're washboard, but they're passable. But they'll need grading two or three more times this year," Campbell said.
Besides the need for on-going maintenance, the trestle society has already
gone to the province and asked that it continue to pay for this year's
grading work, estimated at $20,000 for the 13.5-kilometre length of road.
<< back
|
|
Canadian EarthCare Society
Street Address:
702 Bernard St., Kelowna, B.C. V1Y6P5
E-mail: info@earthcares.org
|
