Powell River Regional District is one step closer to creating a new park.
The regional district committee of the whole passed a motion at its October 12 meeting recommending the board designate a 21-acre parcel of land south of City of Powell River as Rossander Regional Park.
Martin Rossander, who died in 2012, began the proceedings to donate the land to the regional district as a park in 2008. In 2014, the regional district board directed staff to proceed with finalizing the land transfer. In July 2015, the regional district board publicly announced the land gift.
"It's been a long time coming," said Electoral Area A director Patrick Brabazon.
Committee of the whole chair and Electoral Area C director Colin Palmer said at the October 12 meeting that the process to bring about Rossander’s wish for the land has been complicated.
"It's been tied up in the lawyer's office and only finally got through,” said Palmer.
Rossander wanted the land at Dolmage and Dixon roads to remain in its natural state.
“That property has not been touched since the initial logging happened and those trees must be 80 to 90 years old,” said Palmer.
In addition to designating the park, the committee also recommended the board direct staff to hold a meeting with neighbouring property owners to inform them on what is happening with the property, and also for staff to learn more about what neighbours know about the treed land.
Palmer said he would also like to see the board keep the door open for establishing the park as a community park, supported financially by Electoral Area C taxpayers.
