An unofficial boat launch on one of Powell River’s most popular backcountry lakes is being closed to the public as the provincial government addresses ongoing environmental concerns in the area.
Using heavy equipment, forestry workers blocked access to the area with several large boulders on Thursday, January 14.
In a written response from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Greig Bethel, a public affairs officer, stated that the boat launch, located on provincial Crown land, is not officially sanctioned or a provincial recreation site.
“The ministry will be restricting vehicle access to an unofficial boat launch due to ongoing environmental damage to aquatic/riparian ecosystems,” stated Bethel. “This is part of a site cleanup project, which will also see the removal of litter, garbage and a partially submerged derelict vessel.”
Bethel said the ministry cleaned the area up five years ago, though at that time vehicle access was not restricted. This time the decision was made to bar access, he said.
He noted other sites on the lake where boats can be launched manually and this move does not restrict boaters from using the lake.
“Recreational boating is still allowed, but watercraft will have to be carried from the parking area to the lake, instead of being launched via vehicle and trailer,” he stated.
He added that natural resource officers from the ministry’s compliance and enforcement branch worked with stakeholders to address this issue, including local first nations, forest licensees and Recreation Sites and Trails BC.
But the move comes as a surprise to some residents who work or own cabins on the lake, particularly those who have larger boats that can not easily be lifted out of the water.
Mike Porter, a Lois Lake log-salvage operator, said he is upset the province closed access without notifying people who rely on the launch. “Usually they let the public know what’s going on,” said Porter.
He said the province had previously allowed him to operate on Crown land near the boat launch, but now is asking him to apply and pay for a special-use permit. Porter is concerned the cost of the permit to operate will be prohibitively expensive, so he is considering shutting down his business.
“There’s not enough timber value there to make it worthwhile, actually,” he said, “but there are a lot of people with cabins out there and they pay tax for their land, and they have no place to launch their boats.”
Porter acknowledges it is Crown land and there has been an ongoing problem with garbage and old tires being dumped in the area, but he said it's unlikely people who live or work on the lake are responsible.
Closing access is going to have the greatest impact on lake residents who will not have anywhere to load their boats onto trailers or launch them, he said.
He said he is also concerned about lake accessibility in the event of an accident.
A number of property owners, including Island Timberlands and West Coast Fishculture, have boat launches on the lake, but those are not for public use.
Powell River Regional District Area C director Colin Palmer said cabin owners who rely on the boat launch for access to the lake should gather and request a meeting with the ministry. Palmer said he would help the group with an action plan.
A petition to the provincial government to approve a new, sanctioned public boat launch on the lake has already been circulated and can be found at Save-On-Foods, Quality Foods, Black Point Store and Lang Bay Store.
