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Woodland access under discussion
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| TICKET TO WONDERLAND: Access to alpine areas is a topic of discussion among Plutonic Power Corporation, recreation users and road permit holders. |
Recreational users have concerns about backcountry corridors
by Paul Galinski | reporter@prpeak.com
Backcountry and alpine recreational users are concerned deactivation of roads and infrastructure will restrict wilderness access.
Plutonic Power Corporation is in the process of decommissioning some of the transportation infrastructure it has used to construct power line corridors in Powell River’s backcountry. A series of meetings between Plutonic and various user groups is ongoing to see if a compromise can be reached.
Elisha McCallum, Plutonic director of communications, said Plutonic wants people to know the company doesn’t want to get in the way of access or tourism opportunities. She said the company has certain obligations and needed to have conversations with the road permit holders to ensure it was following the right protocols.
“We are going to be here for the long term,” McCallum said. “We don’t want to get into a situation where we are causing any upset but we also have to meet any obligations we have from a legal and liability perspective.”
McCallum said Plutonic plans on continuing meetings with the road permit holders, such as Western Forest Products (WFP) and the BC Forest Service. “We are going to make a commitment to get back to folks when we have an idea what the next steps are going to be. We did let folks know we weren’t in a position to make decisions...right now.”
Eagle Walz, president of Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PRPAWS), said what recreational users want is improved access, not terminated access. “It’s basically a matter of money,” he said.
Walz added he understands it’s between WFP and Plutonic to work out matters such as maintenance costs and liability. “It would be an excellent opportunity for both companies to come out looking like they support the development of tourism in this community that has suffered a major downturn as a result of the forest industry,” he said.
“My understanding is the first discussions last week were positive and they are meeting again this week. Elisha said they are hopeful they can reach some kind of an accommodation.”
Walz said PRPAWS is supportive of the efforts to reach accommodations that will benefit the community and create more jobs rather than fewer.
Randy Mitchell, from the Knuckleheads winter recreation group, said Plutonic tells recreational users they have to take on the liability of the bridge, or someone has to, and this is the contention being worked out right now. “The thing that bothers me is they came in and created the problem,” he said. “If they weren’t here, we wouldn’t have the problem. They just came in and started a hornet’s nest.
“We are all hoping that maybe they would help us get more access and there would be some benefit,” he said. “When people use Crown lands to generate wealth, there should be some spinoff, not just to the provincial government.
“They are basically dismantling the public’s access out there. It’s been slowly going on for years. The public doesn’t have any rights or say.”
Mitchell said as long as those power lines are out there “messing things up,” Plutonic should be taking care of things and allowing some good corporate citizenship.
Dave Hodgins, president of the Powell River ATV Club, said his group has been involved in numerous issues with access. “It does not just involve Plutonic,” he said. “It has involved the Powell River Community Forest, BC Timber Sales/BC Forest Service.
“There are solutions,” he said. “We as a community of recreational users have to come up with compromises. We might not like them. Are we as a community, willing to accept a portion of the liability to maintain access?”
Plutonic Power Corporation is in the process of decommissioning some of the transportation infrastructure it has used to construct power line corridors in Powell River’s backcountry. A series of meetings between Plutonic and various user groups is ongoing to see if a compromise can be reached.
Elisha McCallum, Plutonic director of communications, said Plutonic wants people to know the company doesn’t want to get in the way of access or tourism opportunities. She said the company has certain obligations and needed to have conversations with the road permit holders to ensure it was following the right protocols.
“We are going to be here for the long term,” McCallum said. “We don’t want to get into a situation where we are causing any upset but we also have to meet any obligations we have from a legal and liability perspective.”
McCallum said Plutonic plans on continuing meetings with the road permit holders, such as Western Forest Products (WFP) and the BC Forest Service. “We are going to make a commitment to get back to folks when we have an idea what the next steps are going to be. We did let folks know we weren’t in a position to make decisions...right now.”
Eagle Walz, president of Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PRPAWS), said what recreational users want is improved access, not terminated access. “It’s basically a matter of money,” he said.
Walz added he understands it’s between WFP and Plutonic to work out matters such as maintenance costs and liability. “It would be an excellent opportunity for both companies to come out looking like they support the development of tourism in this community that has suffered a major downturn as a result of the forest industry,” he said.
“My understanding is the first discussions last week were positive and they are meeting again this week. Elisha said they are hopeful they can reach some kind of an accommodation.”
Walz said PRPAWS is supportive of the efforts to reach accommodations that will benefit the community and create more jobs rather than fewer.
Randy Mitchell, from the Knuckleheads winter recreation group, said Plutonic tells recreational users they have to take on the liability of the bridge, or someone has to, and this is the contention being worked out right now. “The thing that bothers me is they came in and created the problem,” he said. “If they weren’t here, we wouldn’t have the problem. They just came in and started a hornet’s nest.
“We are all hoping that maybe they would help us get more access and there would be some benefit,” he said. “When people use Crown lands to generate wealth, there should be some spinoff, not just to the provincial government.
“They are basically dismantling the public’s access out there. It’s been slowly going on for years. The public doesn’t have any rights or say.”
Mitchell said as long as those power lines are out there “messing things up,” Plutonic should be taking care of things and allowing some good corporate citizenship.
Dave Hodgins, president of the Powell River ATV Club, said his group has been involved in numerous issues with access. “It does not just involve Plutonic,” he said. “It has involved the Powell River Community Forest, BC Timber Sales/BC Forest Service.
“There are solutions,” he said. “We as a community of recreational users have to come up with compromises. We might not like them. Are we as a community, willing to accept a portion of the liability to maintain access?”
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| Quick Peaks: November 18, 2009 | Cellphone use faces road ban |
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rvalentine wrote on Nov 18, 2009 12:27 PM: