November 15, 2021

Submitted by site_admin on Wed, 12/01/2021 - 07:45

BAMFIELD COMMUNITY AFFAIRS SOCIETY

General Meeting Unofficial Minutes

15 November 2021 at 6.30 pm
via Zoom - hosted by Jamie Willock (Chair)

Attendees (39) Jamie Willock (Chair), Rae Hopkins, Jan Teversham, Julie Bradley, Jared Higgins, Jennifer and Barry Sills, Susan Derasp, Alison and Paul Bird, Stella Wenstob, Christine Gruman, Sean Rogers, Jerry Gassner, Robin and Bob Schmitt, Betty Beyko, Stefan Ochman, Sally Mole, Mark and Mary Doherty, The Novaks, Wayne Markel, Jaleen Rousseau, Louis Druehl, Amelia Vos and Jordan, Sheryl and John Mass, Lisa Bye, Ben and Margo West, Lynn and Richard Sweeting, Glenn Ballman, Tara McNeil, Anne Stewart, Sean Rogers.

Regrets : Robert Dennis

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 6.32pm.

Adoption of Agenda: m/JBradley/ SMass Unanimous

Adoption of Minutes of 18 October 2021 m/JRousseau,s/JBradley Unanimous.  

CORRESPONDENCE None

Jamie Willock received word that Doug Greer has stepped down as a director of the BCAS.

TREASURER’S REPORT – Susan Derasp

As of 31 October 2021:

A credit of $35,185.64 is in the account. This is a decrease of $1.55 from last month.

ACRD Director’s Report- Bob Beckett

At the ACRD Board meeting last week our detachment RCMP inspector mentioned that he and staff are working on a policing business plan for Bamfield, given the anticipated growth in tourism etc. with the proposed road improvements. I would like to suggest that BCAS invite the inspector to attend virtually at the next BCAS meeting to share his thoughts regarding policing for Bamfield and Anacla. He has mentioned that he would be happy to speak with us in the past.

Stefan Ochman proposed a motion to invite the RCMP inspector to talk about their plans and the way forward with the new road.

m/SOchman s/PBird. Unanimous.

  1. BMSC Sean Rogers
  • Nov 16 is the first day for schools to book fieldtrips to start in mid-February 2022. Ninety schools have been in touch and the children are really excited about coming back to Bamfield.
  • BMSC has been asked to submit an application to the Foundation for  Innovation to recognise BMSC as a National Facility by February 8. There are 18  such facilities in the country. Sean feels it will be a strong proposal.
  • K-12. Sean talked to Robert Dennis and the Superintendent of SD70 to lay the groundwork for establishing this. He has drafted a letter to the Minster of Education.

CGruman asked when the working group would meet and Sean hoped to get going before the Christmas holidays. Interested people should contact Sean.

 

  1. Community Hall- from Louis Druehl

Contracts with the ACRD have been signed and they now have access to the site to start work. There is a Board meeting on the 16th to discuss actions.

 

  1. School- Robin Schmitt
  • There are now 19 students.
  • A Christmas concert is being planned that will hopefully be in-person rather than virtual.
  • The school had an in-house Remembrance Day event.
  • Laura has started Ready Set Learn on Thursdays for incoming kindergarten. Clara Clappis and children attending Paawats have been invited too.

 

  1. BCSA- Sally Mole
  • Sally is trying to reverse the decision to cut funding to BCSA and is providing more information in the hope that it will be reinstated.
  • The school is starting to open up: Basketball on Tuesday had 30 participants. Preschool and afterschool care have started. Story walks are also starting.
  1. Community Forest- Stefan Ochman

A call for bids to construct the 2.5 km East-West Connector trail from the end of South Bamfield Road out to the coast on the west side has been posted. The closing date is December 6 and work should start by the end of December and be completed by the end of June.

  1. Harbour Authority-Ray Hopkins

There are still no applicants for the dock manager position. Interested persons should contact Keith Wyton or Ashley Kline.

  1. Road Safety Association- Stefan Ochman
    • There were 7 people at the AGM on Google Meet with 3 board members last week. More representation from the Huu-ay-aht is sought as Charlie Clappis has resigned as a Board member. Another Board meeting will be held in late January or early February.
    • Mainroad has a new contact person for Bamfield . Her name is Teagan Burton.
    • Stefan has new Traffic Flow data for the road to Port Alberni. This will be sent out to those on the email list.
  1. Parks Commission- Sheryl Mass

Sheryl updated work completed at the ES Centennial Park:

  • The Smiley Rink has been refurbished successfully. Malcolm Richards has done a wonderful job.
  • One toilet and shower is open for the winter.
  • A baby swing has been replaced

 

  1. First Responders- Amelia Vos

Amelia is happy to report that 5 members of BVFD have been trained as First Responders. There are now 5 fully trained and certified First Responders and 2 EMRs. This will allow some of the responders to have  some time off.

  1. BVFD-Phil Lavoie

We have accepted a bid on a new mini pumper for the West side from Fort Garry Industries out of Langley. It needs to go by the ACRD at their next meeting on the 24th to approve and figure out financing. We’ll keep the community posted.

  1. Arts Council- Julie Bradley

The Christmas Craft Fair will be held on Saturday December 4 in the Rix Centre from 11-4 Vaccine Passports and masks will be mandatory.

NEW BUSINESS

GIA applications

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

Jamie gave a power point presentation to describe in detail the five areas for surveying and detailed planning. They are:

  1. West Park connector trail.

Survey work here would be to identify where the short trail to connect West Park and the adjacent park area would go through the undeveloped ROW that links them. It was pointed out that the owner of the adjoining property was not in favour of the trail.

  1. Westminster Bog Trail Connector.

The trail would be about 200 metres in total and about 60% of this would be raised boardwalk through the bog area. It will link Cape Beale Trail with the corner of King’s Road/Wyton Road and cut off about 500 metres if one is walking from Fisheries Dock to Brady’s Beach. Jamie showed a slide of the Pine Bog walk in Tofino as an example.

Barry & Jennifer Sills, who have an adjacent property, expressed their opposition to this trail citing  concerns with liability, environmental damage, the possibility of motorised vehicles using it, and future maintenance . All these issues can be addressed. This proposal is only for planning ,not construction, and a vote will be held to find the general feeling of the community before anything is decided about the actual development of any of the areas identified.

  1. Winston Road

This runs from Fisheries Dock right across the peninsula to Brady’s Beach but there is a very steep area (cliff) down to Brady’s Beach Trail at the end.

A discussion ensued as someone questioned the need for more trails rather than more parking but active transportation (walking, kayaking etc.) is the purpose of the funding. Six people then expressed support for various reasons for this quick access from Fisheries to the beach: to encourage walking rather than driving, to create walking loops, to make it easier to reach Brady’s Beach with small children, to increase well defined trails for solo walkers, and to increase areas for walking with no vehicle access. A series of steps/ladders would have to be constructed near Brady ‘s Beach at the end of the trail.

  1. Kayak Docks at Nuthatch and Westminster.

There is quite a history of discussing putting in kayak docks but nothing has been developed so far. They will be small docks for unmotorized vessels.

Discussion was favourable, but concerns were raised about the need for no vehicle access to the docks on bother sides, improvements to the slopes to stabilize them, ROW boundaries as well as future maintenance of docks.  Ideas about storage were also raised. Protection of the infrastructure at the end of Nuthatch Road was also raised as an issue.

The total amount asked as a GIA is $6500. Another $6,500 will be requested from BHCF as the ATN grant is only for 50%.

A general discussion followed

  1. Jaleen Rousseau asked for a summary of the funding that was being planned through GIAs in the coming year.
  2. Glenn  Ballman suggested that there were more options for trail building available such as King’s Road
  3. Lynn S stressed how ROW issues were common and would have to be worked around carefully but that all the plans were good.
  4. New developments for subdivisions have to set aside 5% of the property as park

b) Planning Costs for West Park Pavilion- Jan Teversham

Jan laid out the details of the initial request for a GIA to cover the costs of plans and permits for West Park development.

The money will be used to pay the travel and accommodation costs incurred by 12 Master’s students and their professor from the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at UBC. The group visited Bamfield in September 2021 to view the site and talk to residents about their wishes and concerns. The plans they are currently developing include a shelter that we have named the Pavilion that will be a shelter against wind and rain in West Park so that gatherings and meetings can take place whatever the weather. It will be off-grid. Lumber will hopefully be supplied by BHCF. The plans will also include the steps, adventure playground installations and a composting toilet.  Final plans are  being developed now after several meetings with our group and an ACRD planner. There is no charge for the plans that they will give to us in mid-December 2021.

A secondary possible cost is for the development permit and building permit that is required from ACRD. However, we are in discussions with ACRD and it is hoped/expected that the costs will be waived given that this development is on ACRD owned land. We are asking for the cost but will not use it if the permits are given without cost.

So, the amount asked for is from $2000 to $ 5000 depending on permits.

Both these applications for a GIA will be presented again at the January meeting. A full presentation for the Pavilion planning costs will be made  as final plans will be available and the question of permit costs will be resolved.

A question was asked as to whether it is usual to request funding after money has been spent.  The answer is no, but there is nothing in the GIA procedures that mentions it. The bill has not yet been received from UBC.

Meeting Adjourned at 8.37pm m/JHiggins s/SOchman.

The next meeting will be on Monday 17 January 2022.