Salt Spring officials said they are unlikely to sign off on a strata’s request to build a gate and lock off the path to Grace Point, as property owner complaints over loud gatherings, open fires, fights and aggressive dogs reached the Local Community Commission (LCC).
Almost a full year after a formal letter prompted a meeting between elected commissioners, staff and the Grace Point Strata Council, the LCC is now tasking staff to develop detailed designs and costing to address “deficiencies” in the Centennial and Grace Point boardwalk — and plans to erect additional signage indicating the park is closed from dusk until dawn.
But the strata’s chief recommendation — to install a secure gate across the path just before the beginning of the beach — seemed well off the table at the LCC’s meeting Thursday, Feb. 19, despite townhome owners’ worries over public safety and what they called an “unambiguous fall in property values” for three residential units situated directly above.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) obtained a statutory right-of-way in 1993 over a portion of land owned by the strata — likely as part of a park land dedication required for subdivision, according to staff — a 200-metre stretch that includes a boardwalk, sea wall and pedestrian path, as well as a narrow footpath that leads to the viewpoint at the end of Grace Point itself. The CRD is required to maintain the pathway in particular in “as natural a state as possible,” according to parks and recreation manager Kent Bittorf, while balancing safety and public access.
“There have been complaints from the strata about inappropriate activities,” said Bittorf. “However, following [the strata’s] recommendations would have First Nations implications related to the sensitive archaeology of that site — and social implications, in terms of the challenge of closing down public access to a viewpoint like that.”
Most of the right-of-way overlaps areas of high archaeological potential and/or registered archaeological sites, according to a staff report, meaning any ground-altering works, such as digging for gate posts, would be limited without the permit required by the Heritage Conservation Act.
LCC chair Earl Rook, who commissioners explained has been the primary point of communication between elected officials and the strata council, said Grace Point homeowners favoured the idea of a gate because they felt people engaged in the disruptive behaviour were ignoring the park hours signs already posted there.
The CRD currently has an agreement with the RCMP, according to a staff report, where police can issue “no go’s” to frequent park offenders — essentially banning them from one, some or all community parks.
CRD director and LCC member Gary Holman said his understanding was that with an increased presence of both bylaw and RCMP officers, the situation at the well-used community amenity had somewhat improved since last year — noting a staff report pointing out the CRD does not have any jurisdiction below the high tide mark.
“If there’s an event happening on the beach — and my understanding is that a lot of the ruckus is on the little pocket beach there — a gate is not going to deal with that,” said Holman. “You’re on Crown land.”
The additional signage and design work planned will come from $30,000 already included in parks and recreation’s five-year financial plan: $10,000 in reserve funding and $20,000 from Community Works.