BY CAROLINE HICKMAN
and 16 other area resident signatories
We, the residents and farmers of Wright Road (Cranberry Valley), have a serious problem with Parks and Rec as represented by Dan Ovington and Elizabeth FitzZaland of Village Builders. They are in the process of pushing through an extremely ill-conceived plan to construct a public trail off of the cul de sac on Wright Road, which would connect with a newly acquired piece of land adjoining the existing park atop Mount Maxwell.
Although we have endeavoured to point out the dangers that this planned construction will create for our farming community as well as the Maxwell Lake watershed, these concerns have been basically ignored and/or glossed over, with some choice “woke” verbiage that makes it pretty clear that the entertainment of the general public completely overrides the actual realities of fire hazards, water stewardship, the well-being of our livestock and the peaceful enjoyment of our hitherto quiet rural community.
We therefore ask that you take prompt action and direct Ovington et al to utilize and improve, if necessary, the two existing routes into the park and set aside this potentially disastrous trail project.
We have, as a farming community, expressed our concerns. However, in a so-called “We Heard” summary report, it becomes obvious that they are glossing over our issues and pushing a predetermined plan ahead, regardless of the damage it would do to our neighbourhood.
I am listing our common objections in point form below and we urge you to become involved because we feel that this extra public access does not respect our rural and agricultural way of life and poses a serious threat to our livestock and property, as well as to the Maxwell and Roberts Lake watersheds, which should certainly concern the Capital Regional District as well as all islanders who depend on the water from this source.
1. The elevated risk of human-caused fire: every summer there is a high risk of fire on Mount Maxwell, in part because of the rocky, shallow soil, and the number of tourists who treat the outdoors as their personal ash tray. Maxwell Lake supplies a big part of our island, including the hospital, with water, and a fire above the lake can render the water useless until things like fire retardant, ash and debris can be cleaned up.
2. As many of us know, “leash your dogs” signage does not work! Most of the farms in the Cranberry Valley raise lamb and poultry and we already deal with cougar predation. We do not need running dogs killing and maiming our livestock as well.
3. Parking and traffic chaos: the proposed trail would begin at the undersized cul de sac on Wright Road, which barely has space for emergency vehicles to turn and/or park. There is also a private driveway off the cul de sac, which eliminates 40 feet of road frontage and there is little room for public parking, which would apparently include horse trailers.
4. Construction costs will be high, as the right of way is steep and rocky. Please note that Emcon has recently resurfaced and greatly improved the road up to Mount Maxwell Provincial Park, and our tax money would be better spent to improve the access to the existing parking area of the summit, giving the public far more space to enjoy the entire park area without putting our neighbourhood property and livestock at risk.