BY DEBBIE MAGNUSSON
In the late 1980s, Sheila Sayer, working for Community Services, and I started Parents for Playgrounds. As an elementary school teacher, it had become harsh to watch kids knock out their teeth on the metal and cement playground equipment. Centennial Park’s playground changed first and soon the school district recognized the benefits of having newer equipment and pea gravel as a softer landing material.
I mention this personal background because I have a new worry. It is that another “playground” (aka Salt Spring’s much-used recreation site, Baker Road Beach) could be in jeopardy. Many islanders know Baker Road Beach for its trail loop of beach heading north to the Quarry Road stairs and trail that then goes through forest back to Baker Road Beach. Many islanders walk, swim, socialize and play on this beach. Many generations of children climb, learn balance, hide, build and engage in all kinds of creative play with the driftwood and logs and land on the natural beach. The beach is a wealth of wildlife, spawning and natural beauty.
A Notice of Application was filed in March 2024 by four property owners, although only recently posted. There is a notice at the end of the Baker Road staircase. If you investigate the website, you can learn that the intention is make changes to 560 metres (half a kilometre.) of beach. That, in my opinion, is a long stretch of public land, Crown land. Apparently, one of the intentions is to barge in “nourishment” the beach. But isn’t the beach already a healthy, diverse ecosystem? Have biologists, oceanographers and marine scientists determined there is e need for erosion prevention or, indeed, any immediate concern about this beach?
So, what then is the motivation for the application? It is not easy to determine from the information online. So, it is only a guess that there is personal motivation. Protection of land?
It would be very helpful if the property owners could be more public about their intentions. They are following the rules. But for major changes to Crown land that is well used by islanders and visitors, it seems like more should be done to inform people. Look how much revision was needed for planned changes to Portlock Park. Should four property owners be given permission to affect such a significant stretch of public land?
Right now the only recourse is to send comments, questions and concerns to the Steward of Land, Water and Resources: Applications, Comments & Reasons for Decision (gov.bc.ca) Re: File #1415573. I wish I had thought to ask our candidates for MLA how they would support further inquiry and protect the beach. In my opinion, this is a big deal, possibly precedent setting.
Voicing “Comments, Questions and Reasons for Decision” should happen sooner rather than later as there is Nov. 13 deadline. That’s not much time so, spread your opinions through the Driftwood, SS Exchange and the other forums that will urge people to use the above link and write they thoughts. It would be too late to effectively change plans once the barge(s) are in the waters across from the beach. Too late if the machine(s) are rolling across the rocks and crabs and oysters. Too late if the logs are removed. Too late if new high-tide lines are built up and beachfront lost. We don’t know enough, and imagination can run wild.
Please join me and, hopefully, put my new recreation/playground worry to rest. Protect Baker Road Beach from private needs that may be unnecessary or harmful to a much-loved public beach.