Five-year plan for Gabriola Community Parks
Derek Kilbourn
derek@soundernews.com
Monday, February 8 2010
At the latest Parks and Open Spaces Advisory Committee (POSAC) meeting, a five-year parks priority draft plan was put on the table by Lesya Fesiak, parks planner for Gabriola.
The plan, which highlights the numerous community parks on Gabriola, was examined closely by the POSAC committee members.
In the weeks leading up to the February 2nd POSAC meeting, Lesya had visited every community park on Gabriola and made notes about the condition of the park, the facilities and what possibilities each site had.
Based on these notes, she rated each park with a priority of high, medium, low or none.
RDN director, Gisele Rudischer, commented that she was concerned that some sites had been noted as good sites for a hall or development.
“Who came up with the idea that a site would be good for a community hall, school or library in Whalebone or Pequod?”
Lesya said she had only noted that the site had that potential, not that the sites would actually see that kind of facility go in there.
Lesya said, “The budget is not complete yet, hopefully I can present it to you next time when it is finalized.”
Tom Cameron, POSAC chair, raised concerns that while POSAC was formed to give advice on the RDN parks on Gabriola, it is hard to do so when POSAC has no opportunity to effect the budget.
For this year, money must be spent on:
A gate at the Fischer Road entrance at a cost of $5,000.
Internal trail signage in the 707 at a cost of $8,000 (scheduled for the summer).
Resolving an issue in the 707 park: On Christine Close, the slope is starting to encroach on private property, and a geotech needs to be done at a cost of $3,000.
Work on the tunnel trail--GaLTT is going to pay for that.
Decourcy Beach--$10,000 to put in a stairway.
Also high on the priority list are some of the stairways, such as the one at Spring Beach, which are getting washed away and damaged in the winter.
During the round table discussion, member Catherine Williams said, “I think that $8,000 for signs is a bit silly. I think many Gabriolans think you go and make your own trails rather than have them all smoothed out for you. You learn them rather than having them all marked out.”
Gisele said, “I agree, but in the 707, there is no way to rescue people. But I think [the signs] are more for emergencies. I know [Fire Chief] Rick is worried about that.”
Tom said he believes that the signage issue would be better resolved after the 707 management plan comes out. “People are waiting with bated breath for the 707 management plan.”
Gisele said, “$8,000 does seem like a lot of money.”
Catherine added, “We don’t always have to have everything done with money. Signs could be made with rocks and things like that. They don’t have to be ‘cityfied’, the place doesn’t have to look like we’re in a park somewhere else. The wilderness park should stay wilderness.”
Leysa said, “The plan isn’t finished; I know there are considerations being made about that.”
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