EDITORIAL:
by Elaine Robinson
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;"
as our provincial Ministry of Environment extends
requests for proposals for new types of accommodation
in our provincial parks.
It behoves any person interested in the long-term fate of our public lands to keep well informed of new government policies, in order to understand their effects. The ministry's plans include a variety of fix-roof structures from yurts to larger buildings with up to 30 beds.
"The Weekender'" August 18th edition contains an
informative article about the BC Parks Branch ideas and ideals. This article is included in a binder which "Friends" has placed in the Castlegar and District Library and the CPR Museum. Government information is available on the government website,
See also "News from the Columbia River" by Fiona
Mackay, this issue, page 3.
Our own Nancy Greene Park is one of twelve parks
selected as sites for new accommodations. Director of
Communications, Don McDonald, described a possibility
for Nancy Greene as a front country eco-iodge with 30
beds, max, no restaurant, whatever that means. The
deadline for Nancy Greene proposals is August 31st.
BC's outdoors organizations have decried the new
policies as violations of the principle of public control of protected areas as mandated by the Parks Act, 1906.
We have reprinted on page 6 of this newsletter, a press
release by written by BC Wildlife Federation Parks
Committee chair, Ed Mankelow, outlining the commitment
of the Federation to the BC protected Area system and its
unalterable opposition to the betrayal of the public trust.
Where do you stand, good reader? I stand with the
Wildlife Federation, ready to enter the breach and work
for continued public ownership of protected areas. This
stand does not preclude good solutions to the provision
of more accommodation for park visitors. Options are
available and can be determined by concerned stake
holders working together to find mutually acceptable
locations and structures.
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