April 19, 2002

Submitted by site_admin on Sun, 05/01/2022 - 05:29

­­BAMFIELD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS SOCIETY

General Meeting Unofficial Minutes

Tuesday, 19 April 2022 at 6.30 pm
via Zoom - hosted by Jamie Willock (Chair)

Attendees (25 ) Jamie Willock (Chair), Rae Hopkins, Jan Teversham, Julie Bradley, Jared Higgins, Stella Wenstob, Robin and Bob Schmitt, Stefan Ochman, Sally Mole, Louis Druehl, Ben and Margot West, Glenn Ballman, Barry Sills, Alison Bird, Tara McNeil, Tom Jensen, Laura Bradley, Lisa Bye, Max Salomon, Jaleen Rousseau, Sheryl and John Mass, Amelia Vos,

Regrets : Bob Beckett,  Sean Rogers, Susan Derasp

Guests: Eric Rochette and Mike Thompson from Port Alberni RCMP.

Acknowledgement of Indigenous Lands: The BCAS acknowledges that the land on which we meet is within the Traditional territory of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations where indigenous peoples have lived since time immemorial.

Statement of Inclusivity: The BCAS is responsible for fostering a public forum within its community to facilitate communications and services that diverse groups identify as respectful, inclusive and accessible.

The meeting was called to order at 6.31pm.

Adoption of Agenda: m/BSills  s/SWenstob

Adoption of Minutes m/SOchman s/LBradley

RCMP Discussion (Eric Rochette and Mike Thompson)

  1. Jurisdiction of the Bamfield Road

The RCMP do not have jurisdiction of the road to Port Alberni as it is not a Provincial highway and there are no plans to change the designation as a private/forest service road. The RCMP do respond to calls to attend to collisions etc. but these calls are rare. There may be more issues once the road is upgraded.

One issue is that there are only 8 regular RCMP officers and the remaining 38 staff are from the Municipality. Of the 8 regular RCMP, two are detectives. If they have to respond to a call in Bamfield or Anacla then according to the Canadian Labour Code two officers must be sent.

Question: Do the RCMP deal with parking issues? No, not usually.

  1. Abandoned Vehicles

If a vehicle is not blocking traffic then it is not an RCMP problem. There is a programme with ICBC when they will work to identify the owner of an abandoned vehicle and ICBC has a fund to remove it if the owner cannot. This would be the cheapest way to deal with a problem. Mike is setting it up with ICBC and it looks promising as a solution.

  1. Outdoor alcohol consumption

There is a wish to be able to consume beer etc. in outdoor areas in Bamfield as has now become possible in some 22 Vancouver Parks. It took 3 years to get established in Vancouver. Suitable locations will need to be identified and the community should be surveyed to establish these areas. Then by-laws will have to be written and this will have to come from the ACRD.

Question: Can special events liquor permits be given without driving to Port? Yes everything can be completed online .

  1. Community Liaison Person

The RCMP asked what the expectations would be  of a designated community liaison person. They are in fact hoping to get some seasonal funding that will allow RCMP patrols to come to Bamfield and Anacla twice a month to get familiar with the areas. If a liaison person existed they could connect with these visiting RCMP.

The previous person had an office at BMSC and people discussed issues with them .

Question:  Does such  community policing  exist anywhere in the ACRD?

There is a community policing group in Port Alberni led by one paid coordinator and all the others are volunteers. This volunteer network deals with speeding issues using tools provided by ICBC. The group also assists in information dissemination related to thefts etc. in specific areas. They could set up a training session in Port Alberni.

Question: If the police or ambulance are called out but there is no actual need for them, do the people involved have to pay?  No.

Question: Is there a plan to have more proactive policing rather than reactive?

The new plans to have patrols twice a month is proactive. Most policing is reactive – partly due to challenges in staffing.

Question: With increasing visitors projected to arrive once the road is upgraded, could there be a camera at the four way stop in East Bamfield so that every vehicle that enters Bamfield is recorded?

This would not be an RCMP issue. The roads in Bamfield are under MOTI jurisdiction.

Question: The Deputy Fire Chief requested a meeting with RCMP, BVFD, First Responders, the Coast Guard and Bamfield Clinic to discuss the ambulance service. RCMP agreed.

ACRD Director’s Report- sent by Bob Beckett

I would simply like to congratulate the Huu-ay-aht nation on the successful completion of their waste water treatment plant. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the ribbon cutting as I am out of province that date.

Please pass on my regrets.

TREASURER’S REPORT – sent by Susan Derasp.

Chequing acct                     $10,682.34

High Interest Savings       $22,433.32

Member Equity                  $       5.21

Total Assets                         $33,220.87

COMMITTEE REPORTS

  1. BMSC  sent by Sean Rogers
  • We are preparing for our final interview tomorrow AM with the Canada Foundation for Innovation to consider BMSC as a National Facility. We were 1 of 16 facilities invited to compete nationally.
  • In terms of updates, please help us support students access the ocean environment and address the climate challenge with climate solutions! Our boats are old and new boats are expensive. Everything about a marine station is expensive! The University of Calgary is matching any donation up to $2500, if done by April 21 and the matching funds last (yes!). There are possibilities of naming a Cope: 

https://givingday2022.ucalgary.ca/o/university-of-calgary/i/giving-day-2022/s/bamfield-giving-day?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bamfield_50th_anniversary_cope_boats_fund&utm_term=2022-04-19

               Let’s give our skippers a new fleet! Email me with Q’s 

  • The working group for High School in the community continues to meet regularly with the goal in sights. Email me with Q’s .
  • The Huu-ay-aht Wastewater Treatment Plant is being launched April 22 on Earth Day! Join us in celebrating this significant development for the community. 

Thanks, and best wishes,

  1. Community Hall- Louis Druehl

The site has been surveyed. Tree felling will start next seek. Large old stumps will be preserved.

  1. School- Robin Schmitt

Twenty five students are now in attendance with 9 kindergarten registered for September.

  1. BCSA- Sally Mole
  • There are evening adult programmes Monday to Thursday now and there is a good turnout.
  • Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate Eileen’ Scott’s 100th birthday at the community lunch. Hopefully the lunches will now continue on a monthly basis.
  • There is a preschool play group and an afterschool group active now.

 

  1. Community Forest- Stefan Ochman
  • The East West Connector Trail construction is in its final phase. There is one more bridge to complete. It should be finished by 30 April.
  • Maps should be completed  before the AGM to help make future decisions on location of selective logging areas
  • Lumber has been requested for the Community Hall  and the West side Pavilion deck and walls – 3600 Board feet ( or about 85 cubic metres or about 20 trees)
  • The BHCF is holding its AGM  (Zoom) on Thursday 28th at 6.30pm.  The link is

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87238598569?pwd=OHpQOG1HajVsSzZmb1hWL3I2WWZMUT09

Meeting ID: 872 3859 8569

Passcode: 692934.

  1. Parks Commission- Sheryl Mass

The Board has voted to demolish the old gazebos in Centennial Park and a new Post and Beam Pavilion will be constructed on the same site when funds are sufficient.

  1. BCEP - Bob Schmitt

There will be a training for anyone interested in being part of an emergency response on the weekend of 23 and 24 April.  Saturday will be on Emergency Support Services/ Reception Centre  and Sunday will be setting up an Emergency Operations Centre and working through a scenario. Anyone interested in attending should call Jan at 250 728 3697 to register.

  1. First Responders Amelia Vos

Weekly Practice continues. They are looking for actors or makeup artists to help make the scenarios realistic.

OLD BUSINESS

West Park Revitalization Project- Jan Teversham

The total of the estimated cost of the project will have been reached by the end of April through the two main funders and many individual donations. However, the quoted cost of the Pavilion ‘s main Post and Beam structure is a little over budget and the need for a composting toilet is becoming very clear as more people come to the park. Hence we will be continuing to fund raise at the same time as starting the project.

The Active Transportation network (ATN ) planning project- Jamie Willock

The surveyors need to be contracted. Glenn added that there is a new survey company in Ucluelet who might be useful. He has several contacts related to various different surveys. In case anyone is interested.

Joe Dalman of UBC (who worked on the planning of the West Park Revitalization Project) is bringing Landscape Architect  students to Bamfield in September  to help with the design of this planning project where appropriate.

Louis requested the results of the survey to assess community interest/acceptance of the various proposed plans.

OTHER BUSINESS- John Mass

Plugged culverts have been an issue but the BVFD has solved the problem by flushing them out with their hoses. Main road is donating $500 to the BVFD. Any questions about road maintenance should be directed to Main road at 1 877 215 6006

The next meeting will be on Monday 16 May 2022.

This will be the AGM as well as a general meeting. We are looking for new Board Members who need to be residents of Bamfield or Anacla or people who individually own property here. Please get in touch with Jamie or Jan.

Meeting Adjourned at 7.47  m/SOchman, s/JHiggins