While Lasqueti Island’s proposed 911 service is on hold, some Texada Islanders are concerned about the prospective location of its communications tower.
At Powell River Regional District’s committee of the whole meeting, Thursday, June 11, regional directors reviewed a letter from Texada Action Now (TAN) committee regarding the proposed location for the tower.
Chuck Childress, chair of TAN, said his group is very much opposed to the proposed location for the tower on Mount Davies.
“Mount Davies’ unusual flat mountaintop is one of few pristine locations on Texada Island with foot-only access,” Childress stated. “Offering 360-degree views of Texada Island, it is a very popular hiking destination of the Texada Trekkers, locals and visitors to Texada.
“The road for the building and maintenance of the proposed tower would forever ruin the remote access trails built and maintained for decades by volunteers.”
Childress pointed out there are many other possible locations, such as Mount Pocahontas, where many towers are already located. There are other existing tower locations on Texada.
Sandy McCormick, Texada Island regional director, moved the letter be received and sent to the proper authorities. She said the islanders are putting their feelings on record so if anything evolves regarding the Lasqueti 911 issue, they are on record having this position regarding the communications tower that serves that potential network.
Colin Palmer, committee chair, suggested the regional district could pass the letter along to other regulatory authorities.
“The question is: do you want it to go somewhere?”
Russell Brewer, city director, thought the correspondence could go to whoever might be entertaining the request for the licence of occupation, so that it informs that process early on, rather than dealing with it when it comes to the regional district as a referral. He did not know who has that responsibility.
The regional district will refer the matter to the appropriate Crown agencies and 911 so that Texada Islanders’ concerns are known by the regulatory agencies.
