A majority of City of Powell River councillors have endorsed a vacant lot on Barnet Street as the future location of an emergency services facility. Councillors Russell Brewer and Myrna Leishman voted in opposition to the motion, which included a phrase added by Councillor Debbie Dee, which stated “and that all consideration and care be taken to ensure the retention of sensitive environmental areas and that positive environmental enhancements be included in the planning and construction of the facility.”
Councillors Chris McNaughton and Maggie Hathaway were absent with leave, leaving Dee, Councillor Jim Palm and Mayor Dave Formosa voting in favour of it.
The city owns the Barnet property, which is next to the RCMP building. In order to build on the site, Squatter’s Creek, which flows through the property, has to be reconfigured by extending an existing culvert and constructing an open stream channel from the outlet of a culvert to the existing stream channel. As well, a nesting bird survey found inactive great blue heron nests on the site.
Based on the Fire Underwriters Survey optimization study, Brewer said, there didn’t appear to be a significant difference between the Barnet site and a site on Manson Avenue. “There are a couple of differences, but not significant, in my opinion,” he said. “However, for me there does appear to be a significant difference with respect to the environmental constraints and the mitigation and [fisheries] measures required.”
Squatter’s Creek is an environmentally sensitive area and a riparian protection area in the city’s current OCP (official community plan), Brewer said, and is outlined as a sensitive ecosystem riparian area and a development permit area in the draft OCP. “As written in the OCP, we should strive to make all efforts to protect, preserve and enhance the natural features of these protected areas,” he said. “All efforts should be made to locate development outside the protected areas.”
While sometimes development has to occur in sensitive areas, Brewer added, that’s not the case here because there are other sites that meet the city’s needs. “As a community, we haven’t been kind to Squatter’s Creek at all,” he said. “At one time the creek was a water source for Westview residents and had salmon in it. I’ve spoken with residents who recall fishing in the lower reaches of the creek. Since then we have diverted, buried, culverted and established a landfill over portions of the watershed and indeed the creek itself.”
Some people have told him that because the creek has been so badly altered and disrupted, it no longer matters what is done to it, Brewer said, adding they tell him not to worry about it, it’s beyond help. “For me that’s not enough. I think it’s time for a different vision for Squatter’s Creek. We should be thinking of ways we can rehabilitate and restore portions of the creek. It’s probably a long shot, but perhaps one day we can again talk about fishing in the creek.”
He’s not disputing the need for a new emergency facility, Brewer also said. “What I’m concerned about is the site selection.”
Leishman said she has the same concerns that Brewer did. “I must admit that I can’t really believe that they’re not going to have significant problems on that site, even though it was said that it was far enough away from the creek. I just know from past experience of dealing with those kinds of sensitive areas, that it isn’t that easy to rectify, I don’t believe.”
